Hi
I wonder if anyone here has the time or inclination to answer my queries.
I was diagnosed as having SCC of the soft pallette on Sep 10 2007. Since that date i have had a biopsy (where they took a significant part of what looked like an ulcer. I was told i had cancer and then went and had the tumour removed also I had an operation to remove the sentinal node.The surgeon removed three nodes and two had cancer cells in them.
I was told that on Friday and from that information I have been asked to make a quick decision on having a disection or radiotherapy.
I also have various other illness and disabilities going on.
My dilema is if i have the surgery will i end up having to have r/t anyway and does r/t blister all of the mouth and throat? and for how long.
What are the side affects of r/t?
what are the side affects of neck disection on one side?
I reall am a novice at this and i feel like i am travelling at 100 miles an hour on a road i have never used before.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and may your health only improve
with care
rumplestiltskin

Hi Rumple,My name is Ananth and I can give you afew tipbut not right now as the medication has hi me hard and has left me comletely blank.
I will reply to you tomorrow when I am fresh and raring to go,

Love ,
Ananth

Ananth
Many thanks will speak to you tomorrow.
Rest easy
with care
rumplestiltskin

Hi Rumple,
Where abouts in E.Sussex are you?
I'm from Hastings, and finnished my treatment in december last year.
I'm sure you're caught in the whirl wind of your diagnosis, and getting swept along with it all.
Everyone reacts differently to R/T, so i'm not sure its a great idea to fill you in with horror stories. Either way it's not always an easy ride. We're here to help you through though.
All the best,
Michelle

Hi Chelle
I am also from Hastings.
I know r/t/ is notan easy ride my dilema is how my surgeon will decide if i have surgery what needs to happen for him then to say you need r/t as well.
Many thanks for your reply
take care
rumple

Hi Rumple
This is starting to look like The Sussex Club! Sorry to have to welcome you here, but for advice and support you have arrived in the right place. My advice would be to spend an hour or two here, you'll find numerous detailed accounts of both R/T and neck dissection. Then you must ask your consultant questions that are pertinent to your current health situation. As Chelle says everybody has a different reaction to cancer treatment, but whatever decision you make you will get through it and the guys here will help in anyway they can. Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.
Kind regards
James.

Hi James
Thankyou for taking the time out to write and advise me, i really do appreciate it.
I am trying to read and absorb as much as i can on the site.
One of my dilemas is the time factor, like i have said i had the news on Friday and need to make up my mind very quickly (like in a matter of days).
My surgeon is also due to go away very soon and my cancer is very aggresive.
I had neck surgery on the 10th October that was to remove the sentinal node, unfortunately 2 out of the three were positive. As you can imagine i am trying to avoid having both, the surgery then finding i might need r/t.
I hope you are feeling a little more comfortable today
take care
Rumple

Hi Rumple
You've got to do whatever you need to do to get rid of this thing. If it means having both then be prepared for that. Place yourself in the hands of your consultant and go with whatever advice he gives you. There really is no shortcut or easier way. You might well sail through the treatments, some people do. You just have to be strong and patient and trust the professional advice you get. You'll be OK, there is always someone here to give support. Take care.
James.

Hello Rumplestiltskin

There is a lot to take in one go, but break things down logical, The RT not going to happen over night it takes a few weeks for the Radiotherapy dept to get you book in, take this time to find out bit’s you unsure of, I will be truthful and say RT is not the most pleasant thing going but the med team are very good at helping with the side effects. One step at a time.
Good luck

Hi James & Rolf
Thank you both for taking the time to talk to me. I really appreciate it. You know James my consultant did say that it could be possible that after taking the sentinal node out plus 2 other nodes that it is possible that I am free of cancer. However he has advised a neck disection on one side to be on the safe side because 2 out of 3 nodes were positive.
Does that mean if i have a disection and they find one node positive that I would have to have r/t? I dont know the criteria but having thought about it you are also a patient and not a Doctor lol my apologies for such a stupid question.
Many thanks
take care
Rumple

Hello Rumple,
I expect the results of the the surgery will determine as to whether or not you will need R/T aswell.
i.e. - whether or not the sugeon can get clear margins (get all the cancer). If he can't then they will rely on R/T to get the left over cells.
I had a lovely guy called Mark come in to see me at work last week (he saw my article in the Hastings Observer). He finnished treatment for tongue cancer 2 years ago. He had a neck dissection also, and had partial reconstruction of his tongue. He also had one cycle of chemo but hated it and told them he wasn't going to have anymore! & he's doing great.
Hmm... perhaps we could start a Hastings support group
If i wereyou, i'd be positive, but also be prepared in case you have to hve R/T. I had no idea how bad it could get, so when it hit me hard i was unprepared mentaly.
Cancer treatments are tailored to the individual. Each case is different and each out come is different.
It depends on the type and stage of the cancer,and your individual tolerance to treatment.
My cancer was inoperable, i had a large 4" tumour and i had a positive node also. So i had 6 cycles of high dose chemo & 6 and half weeks R/T to both sides so they could be sure they got the lot. My oncologist & ENT Dr told me they "threw the book at me". Because of my age they gave me the most agressive treatment possibloe, so yeah, i've been there, done tht and got the t-shirt!
Whatever their decision i nhope i can help you if i can.
Do you have local family for support?
All the best,
Michelle

Hi Chelle
Thanks for your time. I have already had my tumour removed and it had clear margins but during that surgery I agreed to have "the sentinal Node removed, which is like a neck disection but they only take out the sentinal node and a couple of nodes sourounding the node.
Two out of three were positive and that is why my surgeon has suggested I have a neck disection on one side or radiotherapy.
Chelle my son is local and he has been a diamond but i dont discuss my feelings about the disease to him. also i have other illness's and disabilities which have ment i have been quite isolated for 15 years. However i am very lucky as i have a full time carer who is brilliant but she is also very new to the treatments of cancer.
Where were you treated Chelle?
Somebody suggested I try to talk to someone at St Micheals Hospice!
Anyway thank you again for your time
Stay well
take care
rumple

Hi Rumple,
I truly apologise for my wierd post of yesterday as I was dog tired to begin with the the medication did not make things better either. I was typing like a zombie. It had been some time, I had been of medication and especially pain killers, but we have started the pain killers again as the cancer decided to visit me once more and this time he has decided to stay and I am letting him do just that.
It seems you got most of your replies from all th folks who can really guide you with your problem - in fact as james said - you all ought to start the sussex club. Please make me a honorary member!! - James, Michelle -please note.
You are really lucky to have someone who cares for you - but do not fret as she will soon adapt to your new life and that will be more then any medicine can do.
I cnnot answer any of your questions as I had a freaky cancer and found that like a cat, I had more lives. I think, though, I have exhausted all my life lines and am the final start up.

Do keep writing in as it will be great to hear from you. ( did you notice the difference in my words, spellings since my last post??)


Take care my riends,
Lots of love,
Ananth

St.Micheals hospice are fantastic, i had complmentary therapies there courtesy of the Sara Lee Trust. The massages really helped with my shoulder issues resulting from the R/T.
I had my chemo & R/T at the Royal Sussex County hospital in Brighton. & attend the head & neck clinic at the Sussex cancer centre there. The same as James and Susana on here.
I bet byour carer is doing her research now?! I'd gladly have a chat if she needs filling in!
Its a shame you aren't in the position to share your feelings with your son. I'm lucky to have a large family and good friends, and they all had their jobs!
Well, thats what this site is for! So feel free to vent!
Hmm... i suppose if the neck dissection is unsuccessful thn you'd still have R/T as a back up. & if the neck dissection is successful then no R/T! I think, for the most part, the dr's know what they're doing. I just went along with it all. Its a real whirl wind & you barely get to think!
I hope you get through this.
Michelle

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

Hi Chelle
Thanks for the information.
I know if it was down to my son he would share my every thought about the cancer, it is me that feels that i should keep nmy fears away from him.
He is a very caring guy but i feel that there are somethings he does not need to know.
I am having my treatment at Guys Hospital and i must admit that although there are more than 20 people in the team it is so difficult to get information because there so speedy and busy.
I have just met a Mcmillan nurse last week and she was really kind and advised me on the questions to ask, however though I wrote them down in the book and asked some of them because of one of my conditions and no doubt the fear of cancer, by the time i came out all i heard was "neck disection".
Many thanks
take care
rumple