Why did you have a Neck Dissection

LisaAB
LisaAB Member Posts: 7
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
For those that had Neck Dissections, after treatment; why did your dr suggest ND?

Did you have it because your scans showed something?

What scans did you have?

When after treatment did you have your scans?

What did they show?

Thanks
Lisa

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    I wish I understood what you were really asking. I had a radical disecction that included having half of my tongue removed for a graft and all lymph nodes on right side of neck removed (among whatever else). But there was no option for me, really. Okay, I was asked, but basically there was a biopsy that showed cancer in the tongue and in the neck...if they did rad and chemo first, they feared the tissue would become too soft, for want of a more professional word, for them to do successful surgery...so they wanted to do the surgery and THEN do rad and chemo...to improve my chances for permanent recovery and survival. Does that help at all?

    Take care.
  • LisaAB
    LisaAB Member Posts: 7
    #4
    soccerfreaks said:

    I wish I understood what you were really asking. I had a radical disecction that included having half of my tongue removed for a graft and all lymph nodes on right side of neck removed (among whatever else). But there was no option for me, really. Okay, I was asked, but basically there was a biopsy that showed cancer in the tongue and in the neck...if they did rad and chemo first, they feared the tissue would become too soft, for want of a more professional word, for them to do successful surgery...so they wanted to do the surgery and THEN do rad and chemo...to improve my chances for permanent recovery and survival. Does that help at all?

    Take care.

    Well to clarify; not everyone after completing treatment is told to have ND surgery. So I'm wondering what is your doctors criteria.

    Some have ND routinely as part of treatment and some have it only if there is areas of concern (when rad/chemo treatment is completed).

    So did you have scans when your treatment finished that showed areas of concern? or was it just routine.

    Thanks
    Lisa
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #5
    LisaAB said:

    Well to clarify; not everyone after completing treatment is told to have ND surgery. So I'm wondering what is your doctors criteria.

    Some have ND routinely as part of treatment and some have it only if there is areas of concern (when rad/chemo treatment is completed).

    So did you have scans when your treatment finished that showed areas of concern? or was it just routine.

    Thanks
    Lisa

    Oh. I definitely can't be of help. I had the surgery FIRST. No ifs ands or buts. BECAUSE they feared the other treatments would impact ability to do surgery. I was given percentages for success if they "just" did chemo and rad, and percentages if they first did surgery and then rad and chemo, and the difference in odds was sufficient for me that I went ahead and chose to have the surgery: the one stipulation in there, again, being that if I chose the other way, I might not be able to HAVE the surgery, at least not the surgery as they Intended to do it.

    Take care.
  • tavz77
    tavz77 Member Posts: 10
    #6
    Hey LisaAB...I had a neck disection because the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes in the left side of my neck. I had tonsil cancer and they removed my tonsil on the left side and 15 lymph nodes as well...There was cancer in 2 of them. I had 8 weeks of radiaton IMRT and seem to be doing fine....that was 2004-2005...I am approaching 2 years now....i have dry mouth and a stiff neck but am still on this side of the grass....I hope this helps....are you going through something similar?
  • thumper0001
    thumper0001 Member Posts: 7
    #7
    Lisa,
    I was treated at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. The initial biopsy, scans and test were gone over by a "Tumor Review Board" that consisted of the doctors from all different oncology teams. I had laryngeal ssc, T3 with no lymph involvement. The board came back and with the rad / chemo treatment for me, all but the ENT agreed, he said radical dissection no choice or I would die, period. I went with the review boards recommendation, 35 radiation, 3 chemo, ended treatment 06/05 and did 1 year trial of oral Xeloda, 1000 mg daily. Have had 2 scans, 1 biopsy and am scoped every 2 months and all is still clear. Had there been lymph involvement I probably would have gone with the radical. I went with what the board came back with and a "gut" feeling it was the right thing to do. It's a case by case thing, depends on type cancer, spread and what the person is willing to go through to live I guess. I did not make my mind up until the last minute and was actually going to go with the radical when I walked in the ENT's office and told him no.
    Take Care,
    Dennis
  • LisaAB
    LisaAB Member Posts: 7
    #8
    thumper0001 said:

    Lisa,
    I was treated at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit. The initial biopsy, scans and test were gone over by a "Tumor Review Board" that consisted of the doctors from all different oncology teams. I had laryngeal ssc, T3 with no lymph involvement. The board came back and with the rad / chemo treatment for me, all but the ENT agreed, he said radical dissection no choice or I would die, period. I went with the review boards recommendation, 35 radiation, 3 chemo, ended treatment 06/05 and did 1 year trial of oral Xeloda, 1000 mg daily. Have had 2 scans, 1 biopsy and am scoped every 2 months and all is still clear. Had there been lymph involvement I probably would have gone with the radical. I went with what the board came back with and a "gut" feeling it was the right thing to do. It's a case by case thing, depends on type cancer, spread and what the person is willing to go through to live I guess. I did not make my mind up until the last minute and was actually going to go with the radical when I walked in the ENT's office and told him no.
    Take Care,
    Dennis

    Thanks all.

    Dennis, what kind of scans did you have post treatment. And what did they biopsy?

    Thanks again,
    LisaB
  • mikenc
    mikenc Member Posts: 1
    #9
    LisaAB said:

    Thanks all.

    Dennis, what kind of scans did you have post treatment. And what did they biopsy?

    Thanks again,
    LisaB

    Lisa,
    I am new to this board but I had a difficult decision to make with regard to having a ND after my chemo and radiation treatment for squamous. I am an otherwise healthy 55 year old male who was told the decision to have a ND was in my hands. I went to several specialists including a well know ND surgeon at Wake Forest Hospital. He put it best, He said"your CT Scans are clear, no sign of any spreading, only one little "light" from your PET scan, probably scarring, so it is up to you" I asked him what he would do if he were in my shoes. He said without hesitation, "if it were my neck I would have the surgery" I did, almost 3 years ago. I think I made the right decision. But as all of know this is not an exact science. I am 3 years clear now and have resumed a mostly normal life. I hope this helps a ittle.
    Mike from North Carolina
  • geoffrn
    geoffrn Member Posts: 1
    #10
    cancer was diagnosed at stage 4...and very aggressive. three lymph nodes were 5-6 cm (yes, i said cm)thick.
  • mrsy
    mrsy Member Posts: 2
    #11
    tavz77 said:

    Hey LisaAB...I had a neck disection because the cancer had spread to the lymph nodes in the left side of my neck. I had tonsil cancer and they removed my tonsil on the left side and 15 lymph nodes as well...There was cancer in 2 of them. I had 8 weeks of radiaton IMRT and seem to be doing fine....that was 2004-2005...I am approaching 2 years now....i have dry mouth and a stiff neck but am still on this side of the grass....I hope this helps....are you going through something similar?

    Hi Tavz77:

    Sorry to change the subject, but you seem to have the same type of cancer that my husband has. He just finished his treatment and wanted to know if anyone had any info on how long the mucositis will last (horrible phlem).

    He is supposed to have a neck disection to remove lymph nodes in december, but until he has his scans, nothing has been set in stone yet.

    Thanks for any info you can provide.

    God Bless.

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