New member and scared.

Robbie Lowery
Robbie Lowery Member Posts: 24 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

So, spoke to ENT this morning about pain and wirrying about the bioosy resluts.

He told me the results are not back yet but, he sees that they did a scan for lymphoma and says it is not lymphoma. Is that good???

 

 

Please advise

Comments

  • BeagleDad
    BeagleDad Member Posts: 108 Member
    #2
    Yes.

    It is good that it is not lymphoma.  I was lucky, my biopsy was back in jsut a few quick days.  But he and Iboth knew it was tonsil cancer; he had seen enough of it to be sure.  Our primary worry was whether or not it was HPV ... and, thankfully, it was.  

    Don  aka Beagledad

  • Robbie Lowery
    Robbie Lowery Member Posts: 24 Member
    #3
    discussion

    What if it is not HPV? What then?

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    edited July 2021 #4
    If you have to have head and neck cancer...

    then you want to have HPV related cancer as it is super treatable with extremely high cure rates (in excess of 90%).  Traditional head and neck cancer caused by smoking, chewing, drinking is more serious with lower cure rates...

    The "what then" is really dependent on what your pathology report says.  If your pathology confirms cancer then they will try and find the source of the cancer (the primary tumor).  Your treatment plan will then depend on the exact kind of cancer (HPV related or not HPV related...assuming that it's a head and neck cancer) and whether they find the primary tumor.  If it's HPV related and they find the primary tumor you will likely have choices on your treatment plan.  You may be able to have a lesser dose of radiation plus either chemotherapy or surgery.  If they don't find the primary tumor or it's not HPV related then you may get more of a standard chemo+radiation approach.

    If it is cancer and it has spread to other areas of your body beyond your neck (what stage is your cancer) then that influences next steps and outcomes as well.

    Unfortunately, as you can see, everything goes in a very step-wise fashion...  Which can be very frustrating to those of us on this end as we wait for next steps.  So, wait for that pathology and see what it says.  First get a diagnosis, is it cancer or not, and then what kind of cancer is it.

     

  • Robbie Lowery
    Robbie Lowery Member Posts: 24 Member
    edited July 2021 #5
    johnsonbl said:

    If you have to have head and neck cancer...

    then you want to have HPV related cancer as it is super treatable with extremely high cure rates (in excess of 90%).  Traditional head and neck cancer caused by smoking, chewing, drinking is more serious with lower cure rates...

    The "what then" is really dependent on what your pathology report says.  If your pathology confirms cancer then they will try and find the source of the cancer (the primary tumor).  Your treatment plan will then depend on the exact kind of cancer (HPV related or not HPV related...assuming that it's a head and neck cancer) and whether they find the primary tumor.  If it's HPV related and they find the primary tumor you will likely have choices on your treatment plan.  You may be able to have a lesser dose of radiation plus either chemotherapy or surgery.  If they don't find the primary tumor or it's not HPV related then you may get more of a standard chemo+radiation approach.

    If it is cancer and it has spread to other areas of your body beyond your neck (what stage is your cancer) then that influences next steps and outcomes as well.

    Unfortunately, as you can see, everything goes in a very step-wise fashion...  Which can be very frustrating to those of us on this end as we wait for next steps.  So, wait for that pathology and see what it says.  First get a diagnosis, is it cancer or not, and then what kind of cancer is it.

     

    Well i M. Smoker. But i come

    Well i M. Smoker. But i come from  a generation that has hpv as well. Man i am scared!!

     

  • Logan51
    Logan51 Member Posts: 470 Member
    #6
    We've all been where you are,

    We've all been where you are, Robbie. Man-up, dude. I was worried about what the Dr.'s plans would turn out to be, but never scared. Course, I went thru 23 Ops. in my early Teens, so C was just a bump in the road of life for me. As is, I think you are freaking yourself out for the reason of not knowing, AND because you don't know what the Dr.'s plans are yet- the unknown is freaking you out. If you have C, then deal with it. C has only one thing in mind- to kill you, so you gotta do whatever you have to with your C team to rid you of the C. Liife or death time, Robbie, which we've all experienced. Sorry you had to join our group, but glad you did when the trouble came into your life. This is now your life= reality, so deal with it like a man, so to speak. 

  • LitlCJdoll
    LitlCJdoll Member Posts: 245 Member
    edited July 2021 #7
    I am the same

    Hi Robbie,

    I am The Same as Logan--- I do not have anxiety.  I never have, and I've never had depression either. My mother was a counselor / mental health worker and she has told my doctors many times that I am the only one of her kids ( 3 of us)'who has not had depression. Never have.Maybe because since a little child, I've been in and out of hospitals and subjected to many procedures, etc ( I was born with a genetic blood disorder). I learned early that doctors would Help me. And I learned life is not easy...

    And also, I trust my medical Team. 

    I see lots of anxiety issues here and I do understand somewhat but  one cannot keep dwelling on it and " entertaining ' it.  Face it and work through it!! Once you get through these issues you fear, you will be Much Stronger.  

    Logan is 100% Right On--- Life itself is rough. It's fraught with dangers... Some we create ourselves.  Others of us are handed had Genetics from birth ( my case)  I could wallow in pity and exclaim Not Fair !!!  But no, I have never been that way either. I made a Post here somewhere recently about my genetic blood disorder and I've already outlived my projected lifespan, and with cancer, pneumonia, etc !!  So there, take that !!!! I Am still here.

     " Your heart is the size of your fist, because you need it to Fight"

    So Robbie, get your heart right, dear, and trust your Oncology Team to do their very best for you. ( if it's indeed malignancy). 

    We will be here cheering you on. Get great support from your family and friends, very important.

    Crystal

  • Robbie Lowery
    Robbie Lowery Member Posts: 24 Member
    edited July 2021 #8
    I nwedes the pep talk. Thanx

    I nwedes the pep talk. Thanx guys.

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    #9
    I was also scared....

    I was 41 at the time...  3 young kids at home.  Huge mortgage on a house we just built.

    I think every person goes through it...and all you can do is just go through it.  Try and heed the advice of those that have come before you.  Take things one step at a time.  It's not cancer until they say it is and even then there are an awful lot of folks that make it through.  Some have harder times than others.  You'll just start thinking things are looking up and you'll take a step back.  There will be times that you're positive your cancer has come back (and it hasn't)...  There are times that you forget you even had it at all.

    It's normal to be anxious about it...but try and keep your mind busy with other stuff and then roll with the punches as they come. 

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