I am a male, 57 years old and in pretty good health (@ YMCA for aerobic & weights or yoga average 5 X a week). On Friday, May 31st, I found a lump in my neck, which a doctor dismissed as a blacked salivary gland. She told me to call on Monday to make an appointment to see an ENT if it was still bothering me.

So far, it was only bothering my vanity-- no pain as yet. But on Monday I made the call, and was told I could be seen in one week, (June 9th). When I did see my ENT, he had a "hair on fire" reaction, saying "When we see a guy in his late fifties with a lump in his neck, we pay attention."

A biopsy confirmed Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and then later placed its origin as HPV p16, currently Stage 3 N.

Now I am having a surgical biopsy tomorrow, as the PETscan revealed a tumor at the base of the tongue. My ENT had said some of these cancers, when identified as one source tumor, can lead to a surgical removal and a "watch and wait" approach with no chemo or radiation. But, when we got the results, after a meeting with a radiation oncologist, the plan is radiation and chemo for a schedule of 7 weeks. This doc seemed eager to yank teeth, but a full set of X-rays revealed no problems, so that's a relief.

Same doc (the radiation oncologist) referred to the eating tube as something they sometimes have to use later in treatment, but something he might want to do prophylactically, weeks in advance.

That's depressing, as that might lead to more inactivity (no yoga & limited workouts), though I understand I won't want to work out on many days).

One would hope that by working hard to stay fitter than 85% of my peers might make me a candidate for no eating tube, but maybe it just doesn't work that way.

Also, of course, I will be meeting with a speech and swallow therapist, and if we put the tube into my stomach that would seem to work against regular swallowing. Perhaps it is just necessary sometimes, and difficult or impossible to perform the procedure when you are really chemo-sick.

Any info about these concerns would be helpful.

Thanks,

JD

Head and neck cancer,
Squamous cell carcinoma,
HPV p16, Stage 3N (6/14) Occult origin;
58 year old male 35 rads & 2.5 doses Cisplatin chemo 7/10/14> 8/25/14
1.5 years clear of cancer, at this point.

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