Hey Everyone. I'm new here

PistolPete27
PistolPete27 Member Posts: 5 *
edited March 2022 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Pete, I'm 46 and last Thursday, I was diagnosed with cancer on my tongue. I've felt pretty alone through everything so far as I don't have much family around me. On Friday, I had a CT scan to see if the cancer spread to my lymph nodes or lungs. On the 18th, I'm having the rest of the cancer removed from my tongue and also a Direct Laryngoscopy.


P.s. today is 1 week since I quit smoking

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #2

    Hi Pete,

    Welcome to the Discussion Board, I just missed you over in Chatroom earlier. I am sorry you find yourself here, but it is a great source of information with the members. I had Base of Tongue cancer in 2004, Surgery followed by Radiation. When you learn more from your tests, please post it along with your questions. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on this board.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,482 Member
    #3

    Hello Pete and welcome to the discussion board of H&N. Please check the Superthread at the top of the page-lots of info in there. As Marine has said as you get more information let us know, and post it with your questions. You say on Friday you had a scan of your lungs and your H&N area. I have a couple of questions and you may want to run them by your doctor depending on the status of your situation.

    What doctor are you seeing? Is he/she an ENT.

    Did they use a scope on you at all? They usually scope you and that is where they put a flexible tube up your nose and it has a camera on the end and they can see the whole situation in there all the way down to the throat. I see you are getting a Direct Laryngoscopy. So they may not do both but you can ask so all the area of the head is inspected.

    Next, have they taken a biopsy to verify cancer and what kind. H&N is usually squamous cell carcinoma but the type of cancer a person has will guide the treatment options, at least when it involves chemo anyway.

    And you have already had your CT scans, did they use contrast, or dye as many call it. It would have been put in your vein if they did. It is usually used.

    Next, have they scheduled you for a PET scan. A PET scan is a whole-body scan sometimes referred to as "eyes to thighs scan" to see if cancer is anywhere else in the body. I know you have had the CT scans but they usually do a PET scan also to verify cancer is nowhere else and they know then they are only dealing with the known cancer area.

    Here is a link explaining PET basics https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003827.htm

    I have had cancer more than once including the tongue and was given a PET each time.

    So Pete wishing you the best and welcome again to the forum.

    Take Care-God Bless-Russ

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4

    PistolPete27,

    Welcome to the H&N forum. The normal welcoming committee is off for this evening so I guess it is up to me to welcome you to our little “home away from home” and to help put you at ease. Now, MarineE5 is tops when it comes to putting people at ease. Notice his handle?

    I have a short side note which was brought about by your name on the forum, that is PistolPete27. When I was in high school back in the early 1970”s I had a ticket to go watch Pistol Pete Maravich play in a basketball game when LSU played OSU over in Corvallis and being a dump kid I selected to not go with my Dad and two of my brothers to watch Pistol Pete play. My brother told me all about it and Pete did not disappoint. I believe he made something like 30 of 31 free throw shots and demonstrated some fancy dribbling ball handling when he would dribble full court bouncing the basketball between his legs with every dribble. The guy was a phenomenon and I should not have past on my chance to see him in action. THE END.

    Now, back to you. I had stage IV, SCC, BOT, 1 lymph node, HPV+ (surgery, radiation and Erbitux). It sounds like you have a good plan this week and a good team and they will narrow things down to the best choices for you. Believe me, it seems to take forever, but it will be all over before you can say, “I can’t taste anything” three times.

    See you around,

    CivilMatt

    P.S. One more thing. I hope you don’t mind me telling you this, but Steve Martin has an old joke about quitting smoking and he would say “if you get the urge to smoke just call us up and we will send someone over to get drunk with you”.

    Take it for what it is worth, CM.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #5
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/324874/hey-everyone-im-new-here

    Welcome the group. One of the very best places to get answers from real world warriors. As you progress through the process, do come and search and ask about whatever is on your mind. It's likely someone here has some personal experience to share and help you understand some of the overload going on.

  • PistolPete27
    PistolPete27 Member Posts: 5 *
    #6
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1694541#Comment_1694541

    Hello, Russ.

    Yes, I'm going to see an ENT doctor and he scoped me when I saw him. He said throat looks good, but is still doing the laryngoscopy.

    Yes, they did a biopsy and said it was carcinoma in situ. That may not be the answer you're looking for, if not, let me know lol.


    The CT was with contrast but there has been no PET scan scheduled yet


    Pete

  • PistolPete27
    PistolPete27 Member Posts: 5 *
    #7
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1694525#Comment_1694525

    Thank you

  • PistolPete27
    PistolPete27 Member Posts: 5 *
    #8
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1694542#Comment_1694542

    Thank you

  • PistolPete27
    PistolPete27 Member Posts: 5 *
    #9
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1694543#Comment_1694543

    Thank you

  • Stephie75
    Stephie75 Member Posts: 185 Member
    #10

    Welcome!

    You've come to a place where you will get the best support. Please keep us updated. We love positive updates :)

    We accept all others as well, though! We are your "cancer family" I am sorry that this has happened to you. I just turned 47 in January. We are close in age!

    -Steph

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