PET SCAN AND CT

MJG1

My husband has H & N cancer, right base of tongue, right tonsil, 4 lymph nodes on right, and hyoidal bone (right side)...He is in a trial .  He is only 6 weeks into the 16 weeks of treatment and the study calls for a PET and CT after the 6th week of chemo.  I do not know what to expect.  I'm so nervous.  His tumor has clearly shrunk since the treatments have started as a matter of fact the shrinking happens every time he has another treatment to the point he looks normal again.  Does anyone have experience with getting the PET and CT while still undergoing treatment?  We're both really worried that it may have spread.  Guess that is normal...Have any of you had these tests while still undergoing treatments?

Thanks for any input.

Margi Greene

DarcyS

Scans during treatment

Yes, my husband had scans during treatment.  The first was after 6 weeks of chemo to see if the tumor shrunk and to help target the  imrt radiation beam.  He also had one aprrox. halfway through radiation for the same reason. What trial is your husband in and what is his treatment plan?

MJG1

DarcyS said:

Scans during treatment

Yes, my husband had scans during treatment.  The first was after 6 weeks of chemo to see if the tumor shrunk and to help target the  imrt radiation beam.  He also had one aprrox. halfway through radiation for the same reason. What trial is your husband in and what is his treatment plan?

Treatment Plan

His treatment plan is Cisplatin every three weeks for nine weeks and every week Abraxane  Then after that 7 weeks of daiy radiation and Cisplatin (I think every third week)  I need to re-read to be certain since we aren't there yet.  

mrspaul

MJG1 said:

Treatment Plan

His treatment plan is Cisplatin every three weeks for nine weeks and every week Abraxane  Then after that 7 weeks of daiy radiation and Cisplatin (I think every third week)  I need to re-read to be certain since we aren't there yet.  

hi - my husband is beginning

hi - my husband is beginning chemo on thursday - he is on three chemo drugs and one of them is the Cisplatin - same schedule as your husband - every three weeks for nine weeks.  Then after the nine weeks my husband is going to have PET scans and CT scans - my husband's cancer was in his tonsils - which have been removed, and in his left lymp node which is pretty large.  Too large to remove with surgery without disfiguring him and leaving lots of muscle weakness, etc.  

We went to Chemo Teach on Wednesday of last week - nurse said my husband will lose his hair at the two week point in chemo....my husband is having a little bit of a hard time with that, he has a full head of hair.  My husband has decided to shave it next weekend - tomorrow is a trip to Walmart to buy bandanas and hats for him....

ellen

DarcyS

MJG1 said:

Treatment Plan

His treatment plan is Cisplatin every three weeks for nine weeks and every week Abraxane  Then after that 7 weeks of daiy radiation and Cisplatin (I think every third week)  I need to re-read to be certain since we aren't there yet.  

U of C

Is your husband receiving his treatment at the University of Chicago?  I believe they have a clinical study in progress using Abraxane.  My husband received his treatment there and is part of a different trial.  He is currently 4 years post treatment and doing well.

MJG1

mrspaul said:

hi - my husband is beginning

hi - my husband is beginning chemo on thursday - he is on three chemo drugs and one of them is the Cisplatin - same schedule as your husband - every three weeks for nine weeks.  Then after the nine weeks my husband is going to have PET scans and CT scans - my husband's cancer was in his tonsils - which have been removed, and in his left lymp node which is pretty large.  Too large to remove with surgery without disfiguring him and leaving lots of muscle weakness, etc.  

We went to Chemo Teach on Wednesday of last week - nurse said my husband will lose his hair at the two week point in chemo....my husband is having a little bit of a hard time with that, he has a full head of hair.  My husband has decided to shave it next weekend - tomorrow is a trip to Walmart to buy bandanas and hats for him....

ellen

Shaving Head

Ellen,

My husband also had beautiful curly white hair.  People rave about his hair.  After the second or third week he had me shave it.  too much was falling out.  He's handling it well, but without a bandanna.  Bigger part is that the chemo is doing the job of shrinking the tumor.  He didn't have any surgery.  Hoping to avoid it by chemo and radiation.  Best of luck to your hubby and you.  It's a bumpy road we're on. 

Margi

MJG1

DarcyS said:

U of C

Is your husband receiving his treatment at the University of Chicago?  I believe they have a clinical study in progress using Abraxane.  My husband received his treatment there and is part of a different trial.  He is currently 4 years post treatment and doing well.

Univ. of Chicago

Hi Darcy,

No, my husband is being treated at Siteman Cancer Center in St. louis.  The Dr. he sees has been using Abraxane for Head and Neck cancer for 6  years along with cisplatin .  Congratulations on your husband being four years past!!  Did he also have radiation?  If so, what have been his lasting side effects?

thanks,

margi greene

DarcyS

MJG1 said:

Univ. of Chicago

Hi Darcy,

No, my husband is being treated at Siteman Cancer Center in St. louis.  The Dr. he sees has been using Abraxane for Head and Neck cancer for 6  years along with cisplatin .  Congratulations on your husband being four years past!!  Did he also have radiation?  If so, what have been his lasting side effects?

thanks,

margi greene

Not many lasting side effects.

My husband's treatment started with 6 weeks of chemo with cisplatin, taxol and cetiximaub.  He was also in a clinical study using everlimos.  This was followed by 50 radiation treaments, in patient,  with concurrent  24/7 chemotherapy using  taxol, 5 fu and hydrea over the course of 10 weeks.   U of C typically does not do surgery unless the chemo and radiation did not take care of the cancer.  The only lasting effects of the treatment is a bit of a tickle and occasional cough.  We could not have imagined where we are today being 4 years out when he first started treatment.  The treatment was brutal but the results were well worth it.  

MJG1

WOW his mouth is not still dry??

I'm so happy to hear that your hubby is 4 years out with not many lasting side effects!  

Margi