anyone with Tonsil CA .. not have chemo?

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bpell0402
bpell0402 Member Posts: 61
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Just curious. Always confusing to remember who was diagnosed with what. not that it matters to me, as everyone's love, advice and support is amazing and so comforting.

Mom diagnosed with Right SCC of Tonsil after tonsillectomy. Originally there was no origin as her PET was clean. mets to one lymph node which was removed. all other lymph nodes clean.

My mother decided not to do chemo. I was really okay with her decision because the doctors said it was "OK" .. the oncologist and radiologist said at her stage it is still debatable as to the benefits and it was up to her. I've read others in same situation .. however it does seem that most people chose the " full throttle" approach and although i thought i was going to convince her to do the same.. after speaking to both doctors i was okay with her refusal and new she had to make the decision.

Just curious if anyone else here was in a similar situation.

Comments

  • Daddisgrl
    Daddisgrl Member Posts: 116
    #2
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    Are they giving her
    Are they giving her radiation? IMO; I would have rather my hub had chemo only. The radiation is damaging.
  • bpell0402
    bpell0402 Member Posts: 61
    #3
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    Daddisgrl said:

    Are they giving her
    Are they giving her radiation? IMO; I would have rather my hub had chemo only. The radiation is damaging.

    yes ..
    she starts tomorrow.

    we did ask if chemo only was an option and we were told no. We were told we could decline the chemo ... but radiation is the treatment
  • Daddisgrl
    Daddisgrl Member Posts: 116
    #4
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    bpell0402 said:

    yes ..
    she starts tomorrow.

    we did ask if chemo only was an option and we were told no. We were told we could decline the chemo ... but radiation is the treatment

    Curious if you looked into
    Curious if you looked into Cyber Knife & Tomotherapy? The biggest regret I have is that I did not call them back after I had the diagnosis.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
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    Full Monty...
    I had STGIII SCC rignt toncils and a lymhpnode on the same side...

    Tonsillectomy
    Nine weeks (three week cycles) of Chemo (Cisplatin, Taxotere, and 5FU)
    Seven weeks of concurrrent (weekly Carboplatin, Amifostine Injections and 35 daily IMRT rads)

    I believe Chemo is more of an over all body treatment, where radiation is more specific and precise to a location.

    I didn't catch what STG she was diagnosed. My presumption would be if it's STG I with no other areas of concern, and it was defiitely determined as a primary. Then the chances might be in favor for less treatment than others...not sure if I would want to take that chance (just me though). In reading your comment mets to a lymhpnode, I think I would definitely consider chemo as an option also. But I'm not a MD or medical professional, it's only my thoughts.

    Like mentioned though (again in my opinion), the radiation had the most damaging and longest lasting (some permanent) side effects or residual damage.

    Best,
    John
  • KDDavis
    KDDavis Member Posts: 34
    #6
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    I have tonsil cancer and did not get chemo (am getting radiation
    Hi, I was diagnosed with tonsil cancer back in January. I had a persistent sore throat for months and finally went to get it checked out. The Doc did a laryngoscopy and found a small "issue" so he biopsied it. Came back cancerous. I then got a CT/PET scan and it was localized around my right tonsil. The oncologist who is a wonderful person said we caught it early. He and the radiology oncologist recommended a tonsillectomy then radiation if the surgery didn't get it all. Well, the tonsillectomy (the surgeon said it was a tonsillectomy times 10!) didn't get it all so I am now 2/3 of the way through radiation treatments. I'm perfectly fine with not pursuing chemo because both doctors independently told me they did not recommend it for my cancer.
    Your Mom may very well have to undergo radiation treatments. I had my 24th of 33 treatments today. My mouth really began to get sore around the 20th treatment and is progressively getting more painful. However, there are medicines that relieve the pain to a degree. I just joined this group today and have already found excellent ideas on how to handle it even better. If she does get radiation tell her that when the sores develop that swallowing is somewhat painful to me and I expect it to get more so as I finish up. I'll keep her and the rest of your family in my prayers!
  • DJG1
    DJG1 Member Posts: 121
    #7
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    KDDavis said:

    I have tonsil cancer and did not get chemo (am getting radiation
    Hi, I was diagnosed with tonsil cancer back in January. I had a persistent sore throat for months and finally went to get it checked out. The Doc did a laryngoscopy and found a small "issue" so he biopsied it. Came back cancerous. I then got a CT/PET scan and it was localized around my right tonsil. The oncologist who is a wonderful person said we caught it early. He and the radiology oncologist recommended a tonsillectomy then radiation if the surgery didn't get it all. Well, the tonsillectomy (the surgeon said it was a tonsillectomy times 10!) didn't get it all so I am now 2/3 of the way through radiation treatments. I'm perfectly fine with not pursuing chemo because both doctors independently told me they did not recommend it for my cancer.
    Your Mom may very well have to undergo radiation treatments. I had my 24th of 33 treatments today. My mouth really began to get sore around the 20th treatment and is progressively getting more painful. However, there are medicines that relieve the pain to a degree. I just joined this group today and have already found excellent ideas on how to handle it even better. If she does get radiation tell her that when the sores develop that swallowing is somewhat painful to me and I expect it to get more so as I finish up. I'll keep her and the rest of your family in my prayers!

    No Chemo
    I had stage 3 right tonsil cancer. In August of 2010 had surgery to remove both tonsils, and a partial neck disection: 4 lymp nodes removed, 2 tested positive. THen Completed 33 rounds of radiation. Last check up with doc said all looked good. I see my ENT again in JunE. Good Luck to you and your mom.
    Deb.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #8
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    Daddisgrl said:

    Are they giving her
    Are they giving her radiation? IMO; I would have rather my hub had chemo only. The radiation is damaging.

    Rad vs chemo
    I had cancer to right tonsil and wish I had tried just chemo first. Long term effects I have now are from the radiation.
  • bpell0402
    bpell0402 Member Posts: 61
    #9
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    DJG1 said:

    No Chemo
    I had stage 3 right tonsil cancer. In August of 2010 had surgery to remove both tonsils, and a partial neck disection: 4 lymp nodes removed, 2 tested positive. THen Completed 33 rounds of radiation. Last check up with doc said all looked good. I see my ENT again in JunE. Good Luck to you and your mom.
    Deb.

    thank you all for sharing
    i was having some computer issues and some mom issues =)

    Mom is stage III. Rad and Oncologist both said that mom had an excellent prognosis with just radiation but chemo would be using the big guns. After several discussions with both of them, mom made her decision and i felt ok with her decision and support her decision.
  • staceya
    staceya Member Posts: 720
    #10
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    bpell0402 said:

    thank you all for sharing
    i was having some computer issues and some mom issues =)

    Mom is stage III. Rad and Oncologist both said that mom had an excellent prognosis with just radiation but chemo would be using the big guns. After several discussions with both of them, mom made her decision and i felt ok with her decision and support her decision.

    Radiation only for me
    I was willing to have chemo.
    Stage 1 tumor, No involved lymph nodes. Local MD suggested rad only and consult with Mayo (full review of slides, scans, reports) confirmed same treatment plan.
    Still sometimes worry a bit if it wasn't enough, but...
    Stacey
  • buzz99
    buzz99 Member Posts: 404
    #11
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    Similar situation
    Buzz had surgery (radical neck) and tonsillectomy for Rt. Tonsil cancer 9 1/2 years ago. Then he had just radiation. Unfortunately, last summer he was diagnosed with base of tongue cancer (this was considered a new primary cancer, not a recurrence of the old one). This time he had chemo and radiation. I don't mean to imply that your mom will have the cancer again. What happened to Buzz is probably not typical and chemo was not even suggested the first time around. Karen
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #12
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    buzz99 said:

    Similar situation
    Buzz had surgery (radical neck) and tonsillectomy for Rt. Tonsil cancer 9 1/2 years ago. Then he had just radiation. Unfortunately, last summer he was diagnosed with base of tongue cancer (this was considered a new primary cancer, not a recurrence of the old one). This time he had chemo and radiation. I don't mean to imply that your mom will have the cancer again. What happened to Buzz is probably not typical and chemo was not even suggested the first time around. Karen

    Chemo
    I had both radiation & chemo & from what I gathered radiation is the prime treatment for head & neck cancer.
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #13
    Options
    buzz99 said:

    Similar situation
    Buzz had surgery (radical neck) and tonsillectomy for Rt. Tonsil cancer 9 1/2 years ago. Then he had just radiation. Unfortunately, last summer he was diagnosed with base of tongue cancer (this was considered a new primary cancer, not a recurrence of the old one). This time he had chemo and radiation. I don't mean to imply that your mom will have the cancer again. What happened to Buzz is probably not typical and chemo was not even suggested the first time around. Karen

    Chemo
    I had both radiation & chemo & from what I gathered radiation is the prime treatment for head & neck cancer.

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