Hi. I was diagnosed with tongue cancer in March 07. It was stage 3 and all of my doctors recommened RT and Chemo without surgery.I had 35 RT and 6 chemo treatments ending the last day in May. I was in remission until three days ago, when my doctor announced that whatever process that caused my cancer is still going on and did a biopsy to confirm his suspicions. He said at the very least, it will come back as dysphasia or probably as he suspects, cancer. Has any one heard of the terminology my doctor is using "cancer causing process"? Could you share your experience with the return of cancer?

Hi Diana, I have never heard the term but am very interested in learning more.

Poor you, just when you thought things were going good, how did the return present itself? and was it your general practitioner who made the new diagnosis or was it your consultant?

Let us know how you are getting on, will be thinking about you.

Cancer is a process with many steps. The first step involves changes to the genetic code (DNA) of a cell called initiation. Normally, the body’s repair systems can replace damaged sections of DNA, allowing the cell to recover. If the cell reproduces while the DNA is damaged, more abnormal cells can be made that may cause cancer.

Usually, initiation by itself is not enough to produce cancer. The altered cells go through more changes that may require an additional substance called a promoter. A period of many years usually exists between the initiation of the cancer process and the onset of the symptoms.

No one completely understands this process, but certain aspects of a person’s lifestyle can be linked to cancer formation

Get you Liz!!
You learn something everyday!
I think thats what my oncy was explaining when telling me about the EB virus & in making the cells produce an immortal protein.

Thank you everyone. I recieved the news today that the biospy came back as "superficial invasive squameous cell carcinoma". I was prepared for this and now am concentrated on getting rid of this cancer again. My Oncology ENT recommeneded surgery, but my radiation Oncology doc said he can give me one more blast of radiation called "brachy therapy" that would involve putting in needle like tubes into my tongue under anesthesia, then after that, I would have the blast with radation at the office. This is a two day process. I have not had the opportunity yet to discuss with the Oncolgoy ENT what the surgery would involve, but it seems these are my choices. Thoughts, experience or advice anyone?

I forgot to mention that the first time I was diagnosed with tongue cancer, it was stage III

Hello Diana... so sorry to hear of your cancer recurrence but am reading your posts with much interest. My husband just completed chemo/radiation treatmet for his stage III base of tongue cancer and after all my research I realize this is a potentially aggressive process. My thoughts and prayers for you tonight as you prepare for another round of successful therapy! Just curious?.. your location? AL? Where are you? Best wishes from Florida!
Nancy

Hi Diana

So sorry to hear about the return of your cancer.

I can't pretend to know enough about the options you have been presented with to be able to offer advice, just wanted you to know I am thinking of you. I had invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue last year which was treated just by surgical removal of the tumour. It was not a pleasant experience but five months on I am doing well so far, with very few long-term effects. I have never heard of "brachy therapy" but other people on the site may be able to tell you more about this.

Please keep us in touch with how you are doing.

All best wishes.

Gwyn xx

Nancy,
I wish you husband well and I will pray for him as well. I know he has been through alot. When I was healing from the radiation, I had several tender spots on my tongue, but one spot remained tender and very sensitive to toothpaste, flouride, certain foods, etc. It turns out that this sensitive spot is where the cancer returned. I think it is important to share this information so you and your husband can be on the look out. I am originally from PA, but my husband was born & raise here in Phenix City,AL. We have been all over in the military, but decided to retire here. We visit Panama City when we want some sunshine and beach since we are not too far from FL.

Gwyn, Thank you for your kind words. I hope you have a full recovery and are back to normal soon. I did not have any surgery except for the biopsy and I am a little afraid it, but we do what we have to do and get on with it, as you have. I am just struggling over the right decision to make.
Diana

Hi Diana, I am so sorry for your news. I feel so upset about this, can I just ask why your
Doctors said no surgery? Not to worry, this is just another bump that you can do. Try to stay positive. My husband just finished his first treatment of chemo & rad today so I am all pumped up with Life. Stay strong girl.

jilly

quote:

Originally posted by Diana:
Hi. I was diagnosed with tongue cancer in March 07. It was stage 3 and all of my doctors recommened RT and Chemo without surgery.I had 35 RT and 6 chemo treatments ending the last day in May. I was in remission until three days ago, when my doctor announced that whatever process that caused my cancer is still going on and did a biopsy to confirm his suspicions. He said at the very least, it will come back as dysphasia or probably as he suspects, cancer. Has any one heard of the terminology my doctor is using "cancer causing process"? Could you share your experience with the return of cancer?

Hi, Diana.

Hope you've received more information about brachytherapy. Google it if you haven't and select a good source from the options presented; for example:

Brachytherapy explained

Brachy is quite common now, particularly for male prostate cancer and cervical cancer (requires the tumor to be a certain size, stage, etc., lots of qualifications).

The set-up for the procedure sounds gross, but probably is no better or worse than the traditional rads we go through. Having it over in one session is certainly a benefit, particularly since you'll be under anesthesia.

I hope you are a strong candidate for it - sounds like a godsend. The after effects must be mild as well as a friend's boyfriend was out playing golf the day after his brachy.

Let us know what you decide. Best of luck to you.

Mimi

Hi Diana,
I really do not post much anymore, but since had read about Brachytherapy, just thought my two bit would be of some use. This is from the net where I am normally browsing through various sites and came across this one. Hope it helps and does not scare anyone.
Ananth

What is brachytherapy and how is it used?
Brachytherapy is one type of radiation therapy used to treat cancer. Radiation therapy is the use of a type of energy, called ionizing radiation, to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors.

Unlike external beam therapy (EBT), in which high-energy x-ray beams generated by a machine are directed at the tumor from outside the body, brachytherapy involves placing a radioactive material directly inside the body.

Brachytherapy, also called internal radiation therapy, allows a physician to use a higher total dose of radiation to treat a smaller area and in a shorter time than is possible with external radiation treatment.

Brachytherapy is used to treat cancers throughout the body, including the:

Prostate
Cervix
Head and neck
Ovary
Breast
Uterus
Vagina

Brachytherapy may be either temporary or permanent:
In temporary brachytherapy, the radioactive material is placed inside or near a tumor for a specific amount of time and then withdrawn. Temporary brachytherapy can be administered at a low-dose rate (LDR) or high-dose rate (HDR). Low-dose rate brachytherapy is also used in the treatment of coronary artery disease to prevent restenosis after angioplasty.

Permanent brachytherapy, also called seed implantation, involves placing radioactive seeds or pellets (about the size of a grain of rice) in or near the tumor and leaving them there permanently. After several weeks or months, the radioactivity level of the implants eventually diminishes to nothing. The seeds then remain in the body, with no lasting effect on the patient.

Brachytherapy may be either temporary or permanent:
In temporary brachytherapy, the radioactive material is placed inside or near a tumor for a specific amount of time and then withdrawn. Temporary brachytherapy can be administered at a low-dose rate (LDR) or high-dose rate (HDR). Low-dose rate brachytherapy is also used in the treatment of coronary artery disease to prevent restenosis after angioplasty.
Permanent brachytherapy, also called seed implantation, involves placing radioactive seeds or pellets (about the size of a grain of rice) in or near the tumor and leaving them there permanently. After several weeks or months, the radioactivity level of the implants eventually diminishes to nothing. The seeds then remain in the body, with no lasting effect on the patient.


What equipment is used?
Radioactive material (such as seeds or pellets) is pushed to the site of the tumor through a delivery device, such as a needle, catheter or applicator—both of which are thin, hollow tubes—or single-balloon catheter that is inserted into a body cavity and then inflated. The physician may manually insert and remove the radioactive material immediately after placing the delivery device, or later using a computer-controlled machine. X-rays, ultrasound or CT scans may be used to help position the radioactive material to most effectively treat the tumor. In treatment planning, a computer is used to help calculate the amount of time needed to deliver the correct dose of radiation to the tumor.

Your physician will determine which tests need to be done prior to your brachytherapy procedure. These may include:

Blood tests
Electrocardiogram (EKG)
Chest X-rays
Your physician may also schedule an examination of the tumor with the help of imaging studies and a sophisticated computer program to plan the brachytherapy treatment.

A few days before your procedure, you will be given specific instructions on how to prepare for your brachytherapy procedure.

How is the procedure performed?
In permanent brachytherapy, also called seed implantation, needles that are pre-filled with the radioactive seeds are inserted into the tumor. The needle or device is then removed, leaving the radioactive seeds behind. Seeds may also be implanted using a device that inserts them individually at regular intervals. X-rays, ultrasound or CT scans may be used to assist the physician in positioning the seeds. Additional imaging tests may be done after the implantation to verify seed placement.

In temporary brachytherapy, a delivery device, such as a catheter, needle, or applicator, is placed into the tumor using fluoroscopy, ultrasound or CT to help position them. The physician may insert the radioactive material at the same time manually through the delivery device and later remove the material and delivery device.

Alternatively, the patient may be moved to a hospital room where the delivery device is connected to a remote-controlled machine, which pushes the radioactive material to the tumor site. This is called an afterloaded implant. After a specified amount of time, the radioactive material is withdrawn back into the machine and disconnected from the delivery device. The delivery device is then removed from the patient.

High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is usually an outpatient procedure. A specified dose of radiation is delivered via a remote-controlled machine to the tumor in a short burst, lasting only a few minutes. This may be repeated several times in a day before the delivery device is removed and the patient returns home. Patients may receive up to 12 separate HDR brachytherapy treatments over one or more weeks.

In the low-dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy procedure, the patient is treated with radiation delivered at a continuous rate over several hours or days. This treatment may be delivered using a manually or remotely afterloaded implant. A patient receiving LDR brachytherapy stays overnight at the hospital so the delivery device can remain in place throughout the treatment period.

What will I feel during this procedure?
Before the brachytherapy procedure begins, an intravenous line may be inserted into your arm or hand to deliver anesthetic medications. Depending on the site of the tumor and your physician’s recommendations, you may receive general anesthesia and/or a sedative to make you feel drowsy. Following the procedure, patients rest in a hospital or recovery room. Many patients return home the same day; others may require a short stay in the hospital.

Your physician and/or treatment team will give you specific home-care instructions. You may experience tenderness and swelling in the treatment area and/or other symptoms depending on your specific procedure. Most patients are able to resume normal activities within days of brachytherapy.

As your brachytherapy treatment progresses, you may experience treatment-related side effects. Members of your treatment team can advise you on managing the anticipated side effects be of your brachytherapy treatment.

Patients who have an afterloaded implant for temporary brachytherapy may hear a clicking or humming noise from the treatment machine as the radioactive material is being pushed to the tumor site. Although you will be alone during the procedure, you will be able to speak via a speaker with members of your treatment team, who will be located nearby, where they can see and hear you.

In LDR brachytherapy treatment, which requires a stay in the hospital so the delivery device can remain in place throughout a multi-day treatment period, you may experience discomfort related to having to stay relatively still for up to 72 hours. Your physician will prescribe medications to help relieve this.

Following permanent brachytherapy, in which radioactive seeds are implanted permanently in the body, the radioactivity of the seeds decays very quickly with time. However, you should discuss with your physician any specific recommendations for limiting close contact with others, such as pregnant women or children.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ANANTH,

Helo Ananth ,that was a relly interseting post ,have been tawling the internet myself looking for information about this type of therapy .

My husband and I are going to the Marsden inLondon to see a Dr Nutting about IMRT also Brachytherapy was mentioned as he also wants us to see some surgeon who is doing this type of treatment .My husband has had the full quota of RT plus chemo ,called the Hoe treatment for nasopharyngeal cancer and unfortunately when they took him in for an operation to remove RT scar tissue from Nasal Passages etc they biopsied and have found some small reucrrence underneath original site .

In Scotland the only treatment available now is Chemo .So we are being sent to London now to see if they can help as they have all the new technology there .You maybe have already seen our posts .

Dr Nutting mentioned this Brachytherapy also the IMRT so been trying to find out more about it .Until we have consultation next week we will not know whether Paul will be a candidate for either .His NPC is not in a very good place. So may be difficult as more treatment could damage his spine and also his eye sight

Best Wishes to you Ananth,
Bell.

Hi to all again. Anabeth, Thank you for all of the time and effort you put into your response! How thoughtful of you to take the time. Also thanks to Mimi for info. I am so sorry I couldnt get back to you all, but these pass words are driving me nuts trying to keep up with them! I gave Bell & Paul a private message, but will recap for anyone who would like to share what I have experienced so far. I have pics and If I can find a way to get them on here, I will do so.
On Monday, I had nine bracheytherapy implant tubes put in under the right side of my jaw up into the left posterior part of my tongue where my cancer has returned. They are held in place on my tongue with "buttons" so my tongue is literally held to the floor of my mouth. I had a peg tube put in because my throat is crowded with tubes and it is my only source for medicine and nutrition.
This was a big job and both my Radiation Oncologist and my Oral Surgeon did this together. I spent the night at the hospital for monitoring (highly recommended) and was off the next day to the Radiation Oncologist's office for a head/neck CT for therapy planning and Chest Ct. It took a full day for them to come up with at Therapy plan, so on Thursday, March 4th, I went in for the first treatment. They inserted wires up through the tubing and into my tongue. I could feel a little pressure and the manipulation to the tubing around my neck area became a little sore, but nothing really painful or unbearable. Then they attach the wires to the device that deliveres the bracheytherapy, steped out of the room and for 10 to 15 mins and I could feel the pulsing vibrations of the wires during the bracheytherapy session. It does not hurt, in fact I almost fell asleep. I had two session already, will have one more High dose treatment on Monday, then they will take the tubes out and I will be done. Of course since this is a recurrance and the margins were not clear from the small surgery that was done on it, the Radiation Oncologist wants to do a "boost" of traditional radiation to the head and neck area and possibly more chemo. One thing I almost forgot to mention is that 15 min before and 15 mins after my treatments, they have me put a "hot water" balloon on my tongue to warm it. My doc has done this on several different squamous cell lesions and believes it is supportive "heat therapy" that helps.