6 week follow up after rad and chemo treatment

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MikeG56
MikeG56 Member Posts: 5
edited December 2020 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I finished up Proton radiation and chemo at MD Anderson on Oct 16 2020 for HPV T2 N1 M0 left side tonsel , back of tongue , and lymph node cancer. Yesterday I went to have my 6 weeks after CT scan done and the results did not come back as I expected. It showed that the left lymph node started out at 3.3 cm in diameter and now measure 1.9 cm. in diameter and demonstrates central necrosis. The doctor scheduled me to have a Pet scan done in 4 weeks and that we will go from there. The doctor told me that if it comes back positive he will do a neck disection and remove all lymph nodes on left side of neck. I asked him twice how many he will remove and he said all of them on left side of neck.Is it normal to remove all of them or only a few?

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  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,275 Member
    edited December 2020 #2
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    If I Recall from Past Postings

    When they remove lymph nodes they definitely remove suspected ones. But I remember reading that let's say someone had 30 lymph nodes removed but only 12 tested positive for cancer. Many times they will remove more than necessary to be sure they got the cancerous ones and I believe they test them all. You may want to get a second opinion or an opinion from someone else in your treating group if there are others. I think the doc should be willing to be somewhat specific and treat you with an accurate answer. It sorta sounds like he is a little snippy the way you describe it. I don't know how many there are on each side but if any are cancerous you want them removed while they are still encapsulated (cancer is inside of node). If you would get to that point I would insist on more specifics and details from the doc. Let him know how concerned you are and you are going through a difficult time.

  • big G
    big G Member Posts: 176 Member
    edited December 2020 #3
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    wbcgaruss said:

    If I Recall from Past Postings

    When they remove lymph nodes they definitely remove suspected ones. But I remember reading that let's say someone had 30 lymph nodes removed but only 12 tested positive for cancer. Many times they will remove more than necessary to be sure they got the cancerous ones and I believe they test them all. You may want to get a second opinion or an opinion from someone else in your treating group if there are others. I think the doc should be willing to be somewhat specific and treat you with an accurate answer. It sorta sounds like he is a little snippy the way you describe it. I don't know how many there are on each side but if any are cancerous you want them removed while they are still encapsulated (cancer is inside of node). If you would get to that point I would insist on more specifics and details from the doc. Let him know how concerned you are and you are going through a difficult time.

    Neck dissection

     If the result is positive they will likely remove nodes from levels 2,3 and maybe 4 and yes test them all so that it can be verified they have found clear results. I had 50 to 60 total removed from both sides of the neck and they were all tested.

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