An Introduction I Wish I Didn't Have To Make :o)
This is my second experience. I'm an 8 year survivor of cervical cancer. I really thought I was in the clear.
Comments
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Welcome....
Similar Dx for myself in January 2009...
I wouldn't get wrapped around not wanting chemo, actually it was the easier part.
As far as the comment above concering chemo utilized only to jump excite the cells for better radiation results.
I think that might only be a half truth....yes it does in the case of concurrent, which I had seven weeks of weekly Carboplatin with 35 daily rads.
But I also had nine weeks (three week cycles) of chemo no radiation. that was with Cisplatin, taxotere anf 5FU...
You should do fine, many survivors have walked the road before you.
Best,
John0 -
welcomeSkiffin16 said:Welcome....
Similar Dx for myself in January 2009...
I wouldn't get wrapped around not wanting chemo, actually it was the easier part.
As far as the comment above concering chemo utilized only to jump excite the cells for better radiation results.
I think that might only be a half truth....yes it does in the case of concurrent, which I had seven weeks of weekly Carboplatin with 35 daily rads.
But I also had nine weeks (three week cycles) of chemo no radiation. that was with Cisplatin, taxotere anf 5FU...
You should do fine, many survivors have walked the road before you.
Best,
John
hello, we are all here for you!!!!0 -
JohnSkiffin16 said:Welcome....
Similar Dx for myself in January 2009...
I wouldn't get wrapped around not wanting chemo, actually it was the easier part.
As far as the comment above concering chemo utilized only to jump excite the cells for better radiation results.
I think that might only be a half truth....yes it does in the case of concurrent, which I had seven weeks of weekly Carboplatin with 35 daily rads.
But I also had nine weeks (three week cycles) of chemo no radiation. that was with Cisplatin, taxotere anf 5FU...
You should do fine, many survivors have walked the road before you.
Best,
John
Do you have some facts or trials to back up that chemo for scchn is curative? I wish there is/was a cure.0 -
Howdie!!!jtl said:John
Do you have some facts or trials to back up that chemo for scchn is curative? I wish there is/was a cure.
Welcome to our club Tuffenuff, sorry your here but you'll be sure
Glad you found it. The people "Family" on here are ,combined
a library of knowledge and motivation and will help and support
You through your journey. In my opinion I hope you don't need
Chemo, I was "offered" it but I declined and just had radiation
For stage 2 Tonsil cancer. 5 weeks out now and feel pretty good
I've got the usual side effects from rads but unlike most on here
Who had chemo , nothing else.
Stay positive and have faith.
God bless
Tonsil dad,
Dan.0 -
JTL ~ I Never Saidjtl said:John
Do you have some facts or trials to back up that chemo for scchn is curative? I wish there is/was a cure.
That chemo "only" was curative, I said that chemo wasn't only used to aid radiation effectiveness.
I took your comment as chemo was "only" used to aid radition effectiveness, I don't totally agree with that.
It has a purpose (as far as I understand) of potentially taking care of any distant or free floating cancer cells the radiation isn't specifically targeting. When prescribed as an additional protocul such as the nine weeks of three different chemo drugs that I was prescribed.
Also, the logic or philosophy behind the extended cycle chemo, is to disrupt the growth and reproductive cycle of the chemo cells.
There are three main traditional modes of treatment, chemo, radiation and surgery, or any combination of.
My treatment (as well as others here) was nine weeks in three week cycles of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU. That was followed with seven weeks of concurrent weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads sessions. With the possibility of additional surgery to clean up the secondary tumor or any residual depending on results, I didn't need the latter.
My MD's (and I) are for hitting it hard and hopefully taking care of everything the first time around.
Even though certain treatment plans have been mentioned on here as "The Golden Standard"..., I don't believe there is one as of yet.. We all know that everyone is different... If there was a "Golden Standard", I think it would be universally in play, it's not.
What may work for some, might not for others.
Though I think these times are the best as for results and recovery of all time. There are still no guarantees... Why do some have identical Dx, identical Tx, but some still have recurrence and others don't.
We simply are not there yet as for cure or a standard protocul.
At least that is my story, and I'm sticking to it....LOL.
JG0 -
JohnSkiffin16 said:JTL ~ I Never Said
That chemo "only" was curative, I said that chemo wasn't only used to aid radiation effectiveness.
I took your comment as chemo was "only" used to aid radition effectiveness, I don't totally agree with that.
It has a purpose (as far as I understand) of potentially taking care of any distant or free floating cancer cells the radiation isn't specifically targeting. When prescribed as an additional protocul such as the nine weeks of three different chemo drugs that I was prescribed.
Also, the logic or philosophy behind the extended cycle chemo, is to disrupt the growth and reproductive cycle of the chemo cells.
There are three main traditional modes of treatment, chemo, radiation and surgery, or any combination of.
My treatment (as well as others here) was nine weeks in three week cycles of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU. That was followed with seven weeks of concurrent weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads sessions. With the possibility of additional surgery to clean up the secondary tumor or any residual depending on results, I didn't need the latter.
My MD's (and I) are for hitting it hard and hopefully taking care of everything the first time around.
Even though certain treatment plans have been mentioned on here as "The Golden Standard"..., I don't believe there is one as of yet.. We all know that everyone is different... If there was a "Golden Standard", I think it would be universally in play, it's not.
What may work for some, might not for others.
Though I think these times are the best as for results and recovery of all time. There are still no guarantees... Why do some have identical Dx, identical Tx, but some still have recurrence and others don't.
We simply are not there yet as for cure or a standard protocul.
At least that is my story, and I'm sticking to it....LOL.
JG
I think you got my post correctly. I am not aware of any study or trial that indicates that chemo, in and of itself, can cure scchn or even eliminate distant metastasis. Everything that I have read speaks to enhancing the sensitivity of the cells via chemo. I will say that there are some situations where drugs, most recently the use of cetuximab have been used to treat recurrent scchn but that is yet to be confirmed. I really want to think we can beat this.
John0 -
Welcome Tuffenuff
Like others have said, sorry you had to find us, but I know you hit the jackpot when you did. This is a super active group, with so much knowledge and support.
p0 -
Hi Tuff ...D Lewis said:Hi Tuff
Welcome to the club. This is a great place to come for support and information. I didn't have cervical cancer, but I was diagnosed with cervical carcinoma-in-situ some 20 years ago or so. Damn you, HPV 16/18.
Deb
...well from your post you are not new to cancer .....so we already know you are tuff
Glad you found this forum ...but sorry you had to join....
Keep us posted ......said a prayer for you tonight as I was making my post ....
Best,
Tim0 -
Tuffenuff, since you are a
Tuffenuff, since you are a vetran warrior, you know it's all about persistence, and doing what needs to be done. I'm sorry that you are having to go back into battle, but I believe that you are going to win again, because you are after all, Tuffenuff. We are with you.
PATRICK0 -
Welcome
That's what we need to hear "I will do whatever I have to do." Good.
Like you, I started the cancer journey with a lump on the right side of my neck that didn't respond to antibiotics. After needle biopsies, I had open biopsies with a tonsillectomy.
I had the same treatment (basically) as John - three rounds induction chemo with 5FU, Taxotere and Cisplatin followed by rads with Carboplatin. The only differences are I only had a partial regimen of another drug with rads (amifostine - injections given to try to protect salivary glands during treatment) that John was able to get the entire rads schedule and I DID have to have the follow-up neck dissection that John was able to avoid. Chemo wasn't fun, but was not as bad as I had imagined it would be.
Do well. Keep us posted.0 -
TuffenuffPam M said:Welcome
That's what we need to hear "I will do whatever I have to do." Good.
Like you, I started the cancer journey with a lump on the right side of my neck that didn't respond to antibiotics. After needle biopsies, I had open biopsies with a tonsillectomy.
I had the same treatment (basically) as John - three rounds induction chemo with 5FU, Taxotere and Cisplatin followed by rads with Carboplatin. The only differences are I only had a partial regimen of another drug with rads (amifostine - injections given to try to protect salivary glands during treatment) that John was able to get the entire rads schedule and I DID have to have the follow-up neck dissection that John was able to avoid. Chemo wasn't fun, but was not as bad as I had imagined it would be.
Do well. Keep us posted.
Get all the specifics for us, please, to let us help all we can. And, yes, welcome. This is 2012, and the survival for H&N is off the charts to the Positive- so keep it there- in the Positive. You will survive this. Know it, and
Believe
kcass0 -
Welcome and I am sorry you
Welcome and I am sorry you are here. You will most likely need/want some type of chemo. Unlike some other cancers, chemo for scchn is not used to cure the cancer but rather to excite the cancer cells so that they respond better to radiation. You have some choices but most on here get some form of cisplatin, I did not and opted for a newer drug with less of a history, I guess it would be if it is newer. You will have plenty of friends on this site to give you good advice. Did you get tested for HPV?
John0 -
SCCHN TPF Studies, Trials, etc...jtl said:John
I think you got my post correctly. I am not aware of any study or trial that indicates that chemo, in and of itself, can cure scchn or even eliminate distant metastasis. Everything that I have read speaks to enhancing the sensitivity of the cells via chemo. I will say that there are some situations where drugs, most recently the use of cetuximab have been used to treat recurrent scchn but that is yet to be confirmed. I really want to think we can beat this.
John
Here you go;
SCCHN TPF Chemotherapy
Again, I did not say that it was a cure.....as far as I know, there is no guarantee of cure. I did say that it was one of three combinations of treatment.
As a side note on the effectiveness of chemo alone.
During the nine weeks of induction chemo, somewhere around week 6-7 the tumor which had not been removed surgically, began to noticeably decrease in size. As I have mentioned in another post, by the end of week nine, before concurrent chemo/radiation had even started, the tumor was gone.
This was confirmed with a CT, and all CT/PET scans since have shown it gone as well.
I believe this has been the case with several others here as well.
So, that is reason enough for me to make the comments that I have concerning chemo not "only" being an aid to more effective radiation.
Best,
JG0 -
Tuffamy_h414 said:hello
Hi there - I just joined the group recently myself and have found it to be quite informative and full of support. I'm glad you found us, but sorry you need to be here.
Amy
with a name like tuff enough...I can tell you have a good sense of humor
I am also curious if your cancer was tested for HPV?
I was terrified of chemo and it was the easiest part of my treatment. The docs at the James in Columbus like to combine radiation and chemo for head and neck if lymph nodes are involved.
I am 18 months out of treatment and feel wonderful. My Doc says I am the perfect example of the outcome they like to see. (on that note I have to add I was leaving a co op the other day and almost got run over by a bus). I kidded everyone that would be just the shits to go thru all the treatments etc. only to be killed by a bus backing over me!
Stay in contact Tuff and we will all be here to help!!!
Nancy aka toughcookie0 -
1 in 400,000nwasen said:Tuff
with a name like tuff enough...I can tell you have a good sense of humor
I am also curious if your cancer was tested for HPV?
I was terrified of chemo and it was the easiest part of my treatment. The docs at the James in Columbus like to combine radiation and chemo for head and neck if lymph nodes are involved.
I am 18 months out of treatment and feel wonderful. My Doc says I am the perfect example of the outcome they like to see. (on that note I have to add I was leaving a co op the other day and almost got run over by a bus). I kidded everyone that would be just the shits to go thru all the treatments etc. only to be killed by a bus backing over me!
Stay in contact Tuff and we will all be here to help!!!
Nancy aka toughcookie
Nancy, The chance of getting hit by a municipal bus, 1 in 400,000, just some useless information to store away.0
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