Still has enlarged lymph nodes....

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6Cyn
6Cyn Member Posts: 29
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Greetings - My husband is now 41 days post chemo and 36 post last radiation treatment for tonsil cancer and lymph node involvment. He is eating enough to remove the feeding tube so that is great news. Hopefully that will happen next week. Still has the enlarged lymph nodes so we are wondering if anyone can tell us if they had nodes shrink weeks after treatment? We are now expecting neck dissection. Hard to think about when he is just getting so much better.

Best to all for a wonderful and healthy new year.

 

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  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #2
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    Unable to help

    Sorry, I didn't experience same so unable to comment. I had neck dissection before my rads/chemo.  I'm sure someone will chime in with help.

    Candi

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #3
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    Jim had a lot of lyphedema

    Jim had a lot of lyphedema (spelling?) which I learned how to message and it finally went away. Is that what he has or is it the actual lyph node that is wollen?

    Debbie

  • 6Cyn
    6Cyn Member Posts: 29
    #4
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    jim and i said:

    Jim had a lot of lyphedema

    Jim had a lot of lyphedema (spelling?) which I learned how to message and it finally went away. Is that what he has or is it the actual lyph node that is wollen?

    Debbie

    Actual Lymph Node

    Hi Debbie,

    The actual lymph node that was cancerous has not shrunk at all really - all that chemo and radiation...

     

    Cynthia

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #5
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    Enlarged Lymph nodes

    I had a very similar diagnosis as your husband with cancer in the right tonsil and right lymph nodes.  I had the tonsillectomy to remove the right tonsil but did not have a neck dissection.  The doctors said that the lymph nodes were wrapped around so much stuff in the neck they were concerned about trying a neck dissection unless absolutely necessary and they thought chemo and radiation would do the trick.    My right vocal cord was paralyzed, which is actually how we found the cancer, but my lymph nodes started shrinking after a few weeks of radiation and after several weeks I could no longer feel them in my neck, nor could the doctors.

    I know its great news getting the feeding tube removed next week and congratulations for that BIG achievement as I know it was a huge for me when that happened!   Good luck as you guys overcome the next obstacle in your husband's road to full recovery.

    All the best,

    Keith

  • spector551
    spector551 Member Posts: 109
    #6
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    How large?

    Hi,

    How large is the lymph node? I had two lymph node involvement and they were both fairly large by the time I actually started treatment. The largest was actually beginning to contrict my throat because of its size.

     

    I am now 9 days post rads and the largest lymph node is down to the point where I have to feel around the area pretty well to feel the node... but it is still there. I am confident that God and the treatment are doing their job! Actually, the most significant amount of mass lost happened the week after rads finished (I think). My doctor told me that it is common for nodes to take up to three months post raditation to completely go away and as long as six months for really large tumors/nodes. That came right out of his mouth and he and my onc dr are both listed in the Best Dr's by Specialty in the USA.

     

    God bless,

    Jamie

     

    P.S. Has your Dr expressed any concerns over it?

  • 6Cyn
    6Cyn Member Posts: 29
    #7
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    spector551 said:

    How large?

    Hi,

    How large is the lymph node? I had two lymph node involvement and they were both fairly large by the time I actually started treatment. The largest was actually beginning to contrict my throat because of its size.

     

    I am now 9 days post rads and the largest lymph node is down to the point where I have to feel around the area pretty well to feel the node... but it is still there. I am confident that God and the treatment are doing their job! Actually, the most significant amount of mass lost happened the week after rads finished (I think). My doctor told me that it is common for nodes to take up to three months post raditation to completely go away and as long as six months for really large tumors/nodes. That came right out of his mouth and he and my onc dr are both listed in the Best Dr's by Specialty in the USA.

     

    God bless,

    Jamie

     

    P.S. Has your Dr expressed any concerns over it?

    Thanks

    Thanks for your response - we are still hopeful that his will shrink. He has one large one and two smaller ones. He is seeing the doctor in a couple of weeks for a follow up.

    He is doing so much better in all other ways than he was 9 days after treatment. Hope you also experience a speedy recovery.

    Take Care,

    Cynthia

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