Newly diagnosed and new to CSN

Hello, Jim sorry you have to be here but you can get support & help here so it's a good place. After reading your post I would have to say I would need more info such as how big the cancer is, how invasive it is. Such as the size and staging you mentioned. These days they approach cancer in several ways. Surgery is an option depending on how extensive an operation it would be. If they are operating on or around vocal cords I think they have to be careful. If it is small they may do surgery and follow up with radiation. Sometimes they use all 3, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy. I would say wait to see your radiologist and see what they are planni9ng as your treatment course. Then we may be able to comment more. Could you let us know where you are getting treated for cancer at? Is it a major cancer center? If not and there is one close to you , you may want to consider it. Considering your age how is your health as that would be a factor if they need to do a very extensive treatment? Once you get your treatment plan let us know and we can give a better opinion. Also, consider getting a second opinion as hospitals and treatment centers these days can send your scans to other centers for you, and don't mind you getting a second opinion. Also these days I think treatment leans more to radiation and chemo but surgery is an option also.

OK, Jim I just threw some ideas out there, and as you say at the end of your post "As you can see I am in the early throes of decision making, but I need more information." Understandable and more info would be a great help.

If you think of other questions in the meantime let us know.

Wishing you the best=Take care-God Bless-Russ

Hey Jim I just want to add this may be a very small area and will be easily treatable and then it won't be hard to make a decision to the affirmative yes-Take Care-God Bless-Russ

Jim ~ When you get the staging and the specific diagnosis based upon that staging I would strongly recommend you talk to a couple cancer centers. It certainly made me comfortable knowing I spoke with 3 different places to have all the plans available. Keep us updated and ask questions and many on here will likely have been in similar situations. Good luck! We are pulling for you!

When people on here talk about a major cancer center I think they mean places as you mentioned. If you are within traveling distance. The link below is an example.

Also if you have a cancer treatment center in your area you feel is very good or have heard from folks in the area that have had treatment there and are satisfied. I had my first cancer treatment at our local cancer center and I am very pleased with my treatment. I had successful treatment and was treated so well by the staff no matter where I went whether radiation, chemo, or just an infusion of liquid when I was dehydrated. They were getting advanced in their care and even installed a proton machine last year which they think will be in operation sometime in 2022. I have to give them a plug here.

I don't know anything about Berkshire but just do this search "Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA. rating".

If it goes the way of surgery work with your cancer team there are different kinds of surgery and doctors that specialize and they sometimes utilize robotic surgery. In my last cancer episode, I was blessed to have some of the best surgeons.

Take Care-God Bless-Russ

Jim ~ The reason I mention talking to different cancer centers is that there are different approaches to the cancer treatments. Just as Russ mentioned, there are some robotic surgeries that allow the doctors to get better margins and into tighter spaces. I personally was a non smoker, non tobacco user that was P16+ but I did a bunch of research and have friends on the board of a major hospital system and I know the CEO enough to reach out and he told me of different options.

Personally, I would ask about any new treatment trials they may have (or know about elsewhere) for your specific cancer and staging. I would ask about possible proton radiation treatments vs standard x-ray or gamma ray radiation. I would not just accept the first plan without knowing other potential options even if it meant traveling to another cancer center.

I used a place about 200 miles away from my city. It was in the same hospital system, but that team had the ability to use a mayo-clinic inspired trial. My surgeon is highly regarded nationally (I didn't know it initially) and they had been having great success in my specific type. I also spoke with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and MD Anderson in Houston. Mayo trained my radiation oncologist and spoke highly of mine so I went that route. I spent 5 days in the hospital recovering from my radical neck dissection but they also took margins from my tongue, my soft palate and epiglottis. Recovery from surgery was a grind for me but I'd do it again if I had to because it worked.

Keep us up to date and someone can help provide guidance. My cancer was different but I'm an advocate about looking into different treatment options if they are available.