Awaiting meeting with medical and radiation oncologists

PJ47
PJ47 Member Posts: 376
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

T1N1 tongue base SCC stage III. HPV16+.   S/P neck dissection and TORS base of tongue resection. 3 weeks ago.  Rad/chemo recommended due to extracapsular involvement of the one lymph node.  Finally got records sent to radiation oncologist in Myrtle Beach and medical oncologist in same area.  Will meet with both by next Monday and praying we are a good match.  Contacted Vandy for EGFR and they will not do it (even though I requested it prior to surgery) and are putting it off on the new oncologist to get the slides and order it and oncl will have to grade the lymph node or send it elsewhere.   This after the pathologist charged $2,600.  Hmmmmm.  Hope this won't delay treatment.  PJ

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Similar Dx

    Though mine was STGIII Tonsils and one lymhnode (same side) - HPV+...

    Three cycles (nine weeks) Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU through the Power Port..., that followed with an additional seven weeks of concurrent weekly Carboplatin and the 35 daily rads sessions...

    I don't know anything as for the EGFR, akalinity, acids, bases, etc..., LOL.

    But for me the treatment wasn't unbearable, no PEG..., but did pretty much exisit for about sven weeks on Ensure, maeds, water, and a few sliced peaches to keep the swallower working...

    Going on five years post TX, and all is well.

    Hang tough, stay positive, keep well hydrated, and take in calories...

    Thoughts & Prayers for the best outcome...

    John

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    rads & chemo

    PJ,

    There will not (not likely) be any delays once you select your team and say go.  We all went through some sort of dance; mine was fast and over quickly.

    I hope you like and feel comfortable with your team.

    Keep moving forward.

    Matt

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
    There's always a delay in getting

    in getting treatment....or at least when the cancer shoes are on our feet it feels like a L-O-N-G wait to get things going.....I doubt tho, that the EGFR results are going to change your treatment much.....In the time I've been here I've seen people get induction chemo, then move into concurrent chemo and rads....some others start chemo and rads at the same time, and they both end at the same time....myself....I started chemo and rads at the same time, then had 3 months of adjuvant chemo.  I've never been able to tell if the differences were because of where our cancers were located, or if it's just different Dr.'s preferences.  Seems most of us had Cisplatin....some of us had 5FU along with it....and a few had Erbitux....Your treatment will be generally the same, I'm sure.

    p 

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #5
    Wishing you the best!

    I was just at Myrtle Beach last week.  Love it there :)  Wishing you the best, they have some great medical facilities in that area.  I'm in the Charlotte, NC area and we're blessed here with the Levine Cancer Institute.  

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
    pj, i just want to wish u the

    pj, i just want to wish u the best as u start ur journey.  i pray u get thru it w/as few side effects as possible.  we will all be cheering for you.  keep us posted of ur progress.

    dj

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