updating on Neil...3rd round coming up and ??

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Misty35
Misty35 Member Posts: 24
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
So, Neil has done really well with his second round as far as side effects, even better the 2nd time around! Less nausea and more energy this time. The 3rd round is tomorrow, but this past time the lymphnode changed shape and got larger, its over 7centimeters now and causing discomfort. When we saw the radiologist the other day, he was to confer with the oncologist. The oncologist wants to do a ct scan prior to chemo and the radiologist wants another for mapping all in the same day...is this normal?!

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  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
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    Hi Misty

    Sometimes our doctors will do a lot of things we don’t fully understand, and so we just have to trust that they are making the best decision in our behalf. With the lymph node getting larger the doctor might order the ct to see if it is the lymph node or just swelling in the tissue.

    Wishing you the best on his ct and chemo treatment today
    Hondo
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #3
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    Sometimes
    Sometimes the doctors do not know what the other is doing. I suggest you mention this to the Oncologist, I bet he would say we only need one and I can use the one the radiologist uses for mapping. The doctor's are so busy with so many the communications go astray.

    Good luck and call your Oncologist/nurse for explanation.

    John
  • Misty35
    Misty35 Member Posts: 24
    #4
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    fisrpotpe said:

    Sometimes
    Sometimes the doctors do not know what the other is doing. I suggest you mention this to the Oncologist, I bet he would say we only need one and I can use the one the radiologist uses for mapping. The doctor's are so busy with so many the communications go astray.

    Good luck and call your Oncologist/nurse for explanation.

    John

    So, no chemo today for Neil.
    So, no chemo today for Neil. He had his ct scan and upon reviewing the onc has ordered another needle biopsy for Wednesday. He told us this thing has doubled in size, which we kind of knew already, so he got the "told you so" from both of us..all in good fun though. He is saying it could be a few things....dead cancer cells, same diagnosis,but worse than first thought, or a totally different diagnosis all together. I am confused by the "dead" cancer cell theory, I am not doctor,but why are they growing if they are dead?! So it almost seems we are doing the 2 steps forward, 3 steps back dance for now.
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #5
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    Misty35 said:

    So, no chemo today for Neil.
    So, no chemo today for Neil. He had his ct scan and upon reviewing the onc has ordered another needle biopsy for Wednesday. He told us this thing has doubled in size, which we kind of knew already, so he got the "told you so" from both of us..all in good fun though. He is saying it could be a few things....dead cancer cells, same diagnosis,but worse than first thought, or a totally different diagnosis all together. I am confused by the "dead" cancer cell theory, I am not doctor,but why are they growing if they are dead?! So it almost seems we are doing the 2 steps forward, 3 steps back dance for now.

    dead cancer cells
    I'm not sure why the node would be growing if all the cancer cells are dead, unless it is swelling caused by the system trying to break down and move the cells out.

    Doug's lymph node tumor stopped shrinking at some point and worried everyone. The biopsy after neck dissection showed that it was a big hunk of dead cancer cells.

    Hoping you get good news!
  • Misty35
    Misty35 Member Posts: 24
    #6
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    Misty35 said:

    So, no chemo today for Neil.
    So, no chemo today for Neil. He had his ct scan and upon reviewing the onc has ordered another needle biopsy for Wednesday. He told us this thing has doubled in size, which we kind of knew already, so he got the "told you so" from both of us..all in good fun though. He is saying it could be a few things....dead cancer cells, same diagnosis,but worse than first thought, or a totally different diagnosis all together. I am confused by the "dead" cancer cell theory, I am not doctor,but why are they growing if they are dead?! So it almost seems we are doing the 2 steps forward, 3 steps back dance for now.

    I stand corrected, this will
    I stand corrected, this will be a biopsy period, not with a needle...
  • Misty35
    Misty35 Member Posts: 24
    #7
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    Misty35 said:

    So, no chemo today for Neil.
    So, no chemo today for Neil. He had his ct scan and upon reviewing the onc has ordered another needle biopsy for Wednesday. He told us this thing has doubled in size, which we kind of knew already, so he got the "told you so" from both of us..all in good fun though. He is saying it could be a few things....dead cancer cells, same diagnosis,but worse than first thought, or a totally different diagnosis all together. I am confused by the "dead" cancer cell theory, I am not doctor,but why are they growing if they are dead?! So it almost seems we are doing the 2 steps forward, 3 steps back dance for now.

    I stand corrected, this will
    I stand corrected, this will be a biopsy period, not with a needle...

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