 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | I'm glad you're getting both sides radiated. I had stage II cancer (no nodes, clean margins but some aggressive features to the tumor) and had radiation and there was debate about radiating one vs. both sides of my neck-- I got a second opinion at Dana Farber (I was being treated by Roswell Park, also a CCC) and they said to radiate both sides. originally Roswell Park said only one side but then changed their mind after I said I realy wanted to be safe and have both sides radiated.
The reason for both sides were what's already been said--the tongue is a midline structure and the cancer can spread to the opposite side--if you're going to go through radaition, you don't want to miss the spot where it has spread!
Nelie
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
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