Tumor.. not shrink?

Kritter
Kritter Member Posts: 147
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

My ENT set me up for surgery, but my Rad/Onc cancelled it. They were afraid since all tests done and mask ready that if the ENT played around up in my nose that I would have to be re-scanned and new mask made. 

Has anyone ever had a tumor that didn't shrink from Radio/Chemo treatments? 

I should know next week their plan of action. I am trying to stay busy so the time passes quickly while waiting. So far I haven't found anyone with the same cancer in the area I have it, But have been blessed by the people on this website who have answered the questions I do have so far. 

Oh and by the way * Peg * is behaving better now. I quit doctoring it, quit using pads under it. Just wash it with saline water several times a day, and it sure does feel better. Showering with Aveeno, unscented and baby shampoo. And switched to All Free and Clear laundry detergent, free of dyes and scent. 

Prayers and Hugs ! 

Kritter 

 

 

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
    what is best

    Kritter,

    I would think, more tumors shrink from rads and chemo, than those which don’t.  Many onc rely on treatments to   resolve the tumor situation without surgery or as surgery as a fallback   position.

    Each specialist wants to bring their best to the table.  Either way you will get good treatment.

    Staying busy is good.

    Matt

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #3
    Tumor

    My husband had radiation and chemo first.  The radiation did not shrink his tumor and when they did the follow up PET the swelling hide his tumor and it wasn't until 4 months later when he was having difficulty breathing that they found it was still there and he was referred to a head and neck specialist for said the tumor was not shrunk but hidden by radiation damage.  Now his second primary tumor found 1 year after surgery did shrink due to radiation and chemo, but grew back and spread.  Hindsight was that he should have seen a head and neck specialist to begin with after the first tumor was found instead of staying with our local ENT who really hadn't seen much laryngeal cancer.  It was his partner who found that the tumor hadn't shrunk and referred my husband to a H&N specialist because he said that was who he needed to see because the specialist would be better to do the surgery and treatment my husband. 

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

  • edbravo
    edbravo Member Posts: 63
    #4
    Ladylacy said:

    Tumor

    My husband had radiation and chemo first.  The radiation did not shrink his tumor and when they did the follow up PET the swelling hide his tumor and it wasn't until 4 months later when he was having difficulty breathing that they found it was still there and he was referred to a head and neck specialist for said the tumor was not shrunk but hidden by radiation damage.  Now his second primary tumor found 1 year after surgery did shrink due to radiation and chemo, but grew back and spread.  Hindsight was that he should have seen a head and neck specialist to begin with after the first tumor was found instead of staying with our local ENT who really hadn't seen much laryngeal cancer.  It was his partner who found that the tumor hadn't shrunk and referred my husband to a H&N specialist because he said that was who he needed to see because the specialist would be better to do the surgery and treatment my husband. 

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

    Hi ladylacy,What is the

    Hi ladylacy,

    What is the different between a local ENT vs H&N specialist? I thought both are considered the same - medical specialists? The reason I am asking this question is that I am going for surgery to remove a growth under my tongue and your statement made me wonder if my ENT doc is the rightful qualified person to be doing this, in case the growth is cancer, or a more higher type of specialist should be doing it. Please advice. Just don't want to make the wrong moves, thank you.

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #5
    edbravo said:

    Hi ladylacy,What is the

    Hi ladylacy,

    What is the different between a local ENT vs H&N specialist? I thought both are considered the same - medical specialists? The reason I am asking this question is that I am going for surgery to remove a growth under my tongue and your statement made me wonder if my ENT doc is the rightful qualified person to be doing this, in case the growth is cancer, or a more higher type of specialist should be doing it. Please advice. Just don't want to make the wrong moves, thank you.

    Difference

    Head and neck specialist is exactly that.  They are specialist and can do more if needed during surgery.  This is their field head and neck cancers.  You want someone who is experienced in the field and in doing the surgery.  Our ENT said that if, during surgery, something else was needed to be done, then the head and neck specialist will be able to do it.  In my husband's case, the back of his throat had to be reconstructed due to radiation damage.  Our ENT said he just didn't do that type of surgery and we would be better off with a head and neck specialist.  Our ENT is very honest and had referred my husband immediately.   We were lucky because my husband's H&N doctor is at Emory Cancer Clinic in Atlanta and he is great and very experienced.

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
    Hi Kritter

    Bad deal when the doctors start disagreeing on what is best. What I like about MDA when I went there the head sergeant was the main man in changed and everyone else was under what he said, even the ENT. They play as a team on what is best for each person and when you leave there you leave knowing and feeling that you have the best of care; it’s never too late for a second opinion.

    Glad that you and Mrs Peg are filially getting along, of all the tubes I had I must say that this Mic-Key low profile button has been the best with the lease amount of problems.

    Praying for you

    Tim Hondo

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #7
    I don't know about "everybody"....

    but for me, rads had the tumor on the run by the 3rd week.....If I remember right after the 3rd week of rads  the tumor behind my nose had shruk 40%, the nodes in my neck had visibly gotten smaller.  By the end of the 7 weeks, the tumor was gone, and the nodes were almost normal (they finally disappeared by the last chemo treatment).

    Glad to her Miss Peggy has stopped squealing.  I also quit the gauze and just used saline (well, 1/2 and 1/2 saline and peroxide)...plus good old soap and water. 

    Prayers and hugs back at'cha :).

    p

  • edbravo
    edbravo Member Posts: 63
    #8
    phrannie51 said:

    I don't know about "everybody"....

    but for me, rads had the tumor on the run by the 3rd week.....If I remember right after the 3rd week of rads  the tumor behind my nose had shruk 40%, the nodes in my neck had visibly gotten smaller.  By the end of the 7 weeks, the tumor was gone, and the nodes were almost normal (they finally disappeared by the last chemo treatment).

    Glad to her Miss Peggy has stopped squealing.  I also quit the gauze and just used saline (well, 1/2 and 1/2 saline and peroxide)...plus good old soap and water. 

    Prayers and hugs back at'cha :).

    p

    I do not have a team of

    I do not have a team of specialist but a group of them from various different hospitals. I have different types of doctors who does not work together to create a patient’s overall treatment plan. I have a separate group of medical oncologists and radiation oncologists from a different hospital, an otolaryngologists who is also an ENT surgeon from another hospital and dentists.

    @phrannie51

    Yes I agree, same here too. The positive point of treating NPC is that it is very sensitive to chemoradiotherapy treatment, especially very sensitive to radiotherapy resulting in 3-year disease-free and overall survival of approximately 70% and 80%, which means that the cancer will most likely shrink, however the scary part is that this sort of cancer are usually very active.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    #9
    mine shrunk fast!

    I had induction TPF and by one week into the first cycle it was reducing. The report at the end of the 3 cycle treatment say tumor resolution was complete or near complete. When concurrent radiation and chemo started there wasn't any more tunor to reduce, just kill the cancer still in the tongue and neck nodes.

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #10
    kritter, hoping they get your

    kritter, hoping they get your plan set before too much longer.  the waiting is so hard.  i'm so glad Peg had stopped being such a pain in the "gut"....lol.  Crossing my fingers that tx starts very soon and you see the light at the end of the tunnel quickly.

    God bless you,

    dj

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