modified radical neck dissection

Miles' mom
Miles' mom Member Posts: 47 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Surgery~ check. Much easier than I anticipated. On the road to recovery~ check. This new post is to, first and again, thank everyone who replied to my emails.  Second, to let others who may find themselves with the same diagnosis know they can reach out. I would love to share my experience to help bring you peace as others have done for me.

Miles' mom aka Lora

Comments

  • camlitlow
    camlitlow Member Posts: 6 Member
    edited June 2019 #2
    modified radical neck dissection

    Hi Lora, I am having bilateral modified radical neck dissection with direct laryngoscopy (with biopsy) in 3 weeks. Couple questions: How long were you in the hospital? How long was the surgery? How long was it before you could eat normal food?

    I am a bit anxious concerning the surgery and recovery time. I am HPV+ TxN1M0. The laryngoscopywith biopsy will be to try and find the primary.

    Thank you in advance

    camlitlow aka D.

     

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    #3
    Camlitlow...

    Have you had a PET scan or any imaging done yet?  I'm assuming you've already had your tonsils out or they've already ruled them out as the location of your tumor?  The biopsy will be at the base of your tongue?  Hopefully, they'll locate the primary there and if in the right location you shouldn't need a bilateral neck disection...  Recovery and treatment are a little easier with only one side being affected.

    The neck disection has no impact on your eating by the way...  Recovery time is pretty fast actually, drain out in a couple days, stitches out a couple days later.  You'll look worse than you'll feel...  The incision is pretty gnarly looking initially but they usually do a pretty good job of cutting on the natural folds of your neck so that your scars are pretty hidden.

    Brandon

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,484 Member
    #4
    I Am Glad This Site

    Has helped you so much. I know it is a God Send for many folks. There is nothing like talking to another person or persons that have already gone through a procedure and can then help you with their experience.

    Lora so glad everything went well and you are recovering so well-God Bless

  • camlitlow
    camlitlow Member Posts: 6 Member
    edited June 2019 #5
    johnsonbl

    Thank you for your reply. Yes, I had a PET scan 2 weeks ago. Showed the left node (which started all this) and possibly spread into a couple surronding nodes. It also showed the possible primary at the left base of the tongue.

    Correct on the tonsiles, had them out when I was a kid.

    Hoping that it they dont have to do both sides but as one person said on this board, I am willing for them to throw the kitchen sink at it so I dont have to go through this again

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    edited June 2019 #6
    camlitlow said:

    johnsonbl

    Thank you for your reply. Yes, I had a PET scan 2 weeks ago. Showed the left node (which started all this) and possibly spread into a couple surronding nodes. It also showed the possible primary at the left base of the tongue.

    Correct on the tonsiles, had them out when I was a kid.

    Hoping that it they dont have to do both sides but as one person said on this board, I am willing for them to throw the kitchen sink at it so I dont have to go through this again

    Good...

    If they can find the primary you have a chance to have less treatment vs. more.  When they can't find the primary they normally throw the kitchen sink at it.  My primary was in the space closer to the left edge of the base of my tongue (closer to where my left tonsil was)...  So I only had surgery and radiation on the left side.  If the tumor is located closer to the midline of your tongue then they don't really know which side of your lymphatic system might be affected...then they have to do both sides.

    Hopefully they get that primary figured out and then you'll likely have to choose how you want to proceed.  Likely your options will be surgery + radiation or radiation + chemo.  Both have their positives and negatives.

    But first things first.  Good luck with your procedure(s) coming up.

    Brandon

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