[quote=OzMojo]Hi Ak. Do you know if it tested positive for P16? The prognosis is generally better and it is known to respond extremely well to the radiation chemo combo. I wouldn't get too hung up on the staging or the number of nodes, they'll take all that into account when they plan the treatment and there's nothing you can do to change it. For now the focus is on getting him ready for treatment.

He will probably have seen a dietitian by now with relation to recovery from surgery, he should see another as part of the planning for his treatment. He should also be advised to see a dentist. Christine has a good list of easy to eat foods here. (I like the soft scrambled eggs with cheese!) List of Easy Foods

Radiation and chemo is no picnic, but every journey is different. People respond differently to the same treatment, with surprisingly different side effects. Your brother is very young, most of the patients we see are middle aged or older. He'll be stronger from that point of view, and the complication of the recent surgery will be closely managed by the doctors. In any case he is in for a long hard road over several months, but it is a very survivable treatment and the prognosis will be better than many other types of cancer.

Your brother is about to get bombarded with information, and I found the doctors only had a limited time to explain it all. It helps to take notes, you can look things up later and have a list of questions to bring next time. Its all a lot to take in. If he can bring someone with him its also helpful to have another set of ears.

Best wishes to you and your brother. Let us know if we can be of assistance.[/quote]

Hello,
He is tested negative for P16. He is a non-smoker and casual drinker. The reason is "unknown" as to why this happened to him. He met with a dietican a couple months ago and he said he felt like he went for nothing as he says he knows what to eat but it is hard to eat after the surgery. He thinks a lot of things taste different now. I know that we have to get him into a dentist soon too. Did you see a special dentist? or was it your original dentist office? we have been taking a tape recorder to every meeting with the doctors lol. there has been so much information that we have definitely been bombarded.

22 YO Brother Dx 6/17/14 w. SCC R Lateral tongue
CT scan clear LN 6/20/14
HPV-, non-smoker
R tongue, right hemiglossectomy Surgery 6/24/14
(Not reoccurrence but went to NCCC instead
R neck dissection, tracheostomy, radial free flap, R tongue dissection surg 8/11/14
PT1N2B.3 positive lymph nodes out of 13
Extranodal extension present
9-15-14 IMRT (35x) & Cisplatin (2x) begun
10-21-14 peg in. 10-31-14 1 round of carboplatin
11-4-14 IMRT rx comp
3-27-15 Recurrent tumor in lymph node, L neck diss.
10-29-15 brother passed away, 23 yrs old