Hi to everyone.. My partner Martyn (41), is to have his voice box removed in 3 weeks time, it is at stage 4 and has spread to parts of his neck and also his lymph glands..They have told us 6 weeks after the surgery he will start radiotherapy. Please correct me if I am wrong I was lead to believe that as it is a stage 4 cancer and 4cms in size wouldnt chemotherapy be a better option as in the chemo being stronger therefore having a better chance of being a stronger treatment... I am very new to the different treatments avaliable and would appriciate any words of wisdom...Thank you

Hi Juliee,
I am no expert but the majority of head/neck cancer patients tend to have surgery and then just radiotherapy- This is what happened to me. Squamous cell carcinomas are not so receptive to being killed off by chemo alone . I have read ( from this very site somewhere ) that some patients have a combination of chemo combined with the RT. This evidently increases the efficacy of the treatment.The chemo evidently makes the cancer cells more susceptible to the effects of the RT.

I think your best option is to discuss matters with your partners oncology team asap as time is progressing. INMHO cost may well be a factor.

Good luck to you and your partner - Tony

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tony K,

I think that that the usual chemo is cisplatin

also please check this link http://rdoc.org.uk/eve/forums?a=tpc&f=19510549&m=99...921081421#9921081421

tony

Hi Tony, sorry does the INHMO have something to do with your local health authority and the cost of the treatments avaliable in that specific area of where you live..

INMHO - In My Humble Opinion . - sorry I've been on internet chat sites far too much.

I wish I had had the chemo in conjunction with my RT. Even if it improves your chances of survival by a few percent it's worth it.

I'd push for it if I were you while you can.
good luck - Tony

<<I am no expert but the majority of head/neck cancer patients tend to have surgery and then just radiotherapy- This is what happened to me. >>

Same here. I was never offered chemo, but at the time I think this was the correct option for me and all these cases are judged individually. I think chemo is offered here before surgery often to help reduce the size of tumours. A woman I met with a tongue cancer had the tumour size reduced to make it easier to operate and then had rads.

I will have a chat with the oncologist when we see him next, not sure when that wil be as Martyn and me will travel up to gloucester on sunday 14th when he will be admitted, and the op is planned for the Monday morning. I would like to see the consultant who is doing the op before martyn goes down to theatre, but you never know if you will see anyone or not, even if its to run through what the op envolves, as we havent really been told that side of it, all we know is that his voice box is to be removed and he will then have a stoma.

Hi Juliee,
Make sure you read Dr. Joshi's recent post on "New Developments in Treatments" for Head/Neck cancer patients and arm yourself with some up to date knowledge with which you can discuss Martyn's options.

Chemo in conjunction with RT tends to be used when you have lymph node mets. (so a greater chance of the cancer having spread).

As I have said I am not an expert on individual treatments but I know that I and my wife accepted everything we were told all through the process of my diagnosis - we were in no fit state to question it. It took 6 months for my cancer to be diagnosed and by that time I had substantial tumours which had burst out of two lymph nodes. I don't believe everything I am told now - I have a great deal of warranted cynicism.

Make sure you ask all the questions now - by the time the RT starts it will be too late. Don't take no for an answer and be prepared to ask for a second opinion. See a consultant privately if necessary - sod the cost.

good luck - Tony

Thanks Tony, I do believe if Martyn had of been scanned earlier this cancer would have not progressed as far as it has.Only at the beginning of march he was told there was no cancer present, but unknown to us it was growning in a different place. The ENT consultant told us he would arrange some more scans, I relpied that martyn had never had any scans in the 8 months since he was first seen, I am sure that if he had of been scanned earlier this would never of progressed as quick has it has now, We have always gone to the appointments and have taken what he has said as the be the expert opinion. I am very bitter and I would do anything for martyn to keep his voice box, but with it being at a stage 4 and having spread to his lymph nodes what other option is there, he has now had the scans and the op is planned for the 15th may, only 2 weeks away??