You need to keep that mucus out. If there is much volume, ask your doctor for a suction machine. It is dead cells sloughing off and the body wants it out. It can make your digestive system go awry.

The lump is fairly common depending in where the radiation is targeted and the type. Some people actually end up with the trachea going from straight to an "s" shape. Ask to see an SLP, speech language pathologist to help you retrain your swallow as things progress. The "lump" can also be from muscle weakened but regardless, you need help to maintain your swallow. Even if it is tough, don't give up.

Try to not worry about what is around the corner. If you anticipate bad, the boogey man will cometh. Even tension can make swallowing muscles tighter and harder to work.

Even if you were to stop treatment, the problem won't go away for a while and you risk the cancer not being killed. You can do this.

SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023