My husband has been diagnosed with a tongue SCC. T1 N2a M0. He bean in October with a swollen gland in his neck wich the GP said was due to having a cold it didn't go away and the GP said it goes down rapidly in children, but is slow in adults. After a few more weeks we made an ap[pointment, which took quite a while at the local cancer center at University of Miami in the Otolaryngology department. They did a needle biaopsy and it came back CSS. They did a scope surgery the day after Christmas to find the primary and we were lucky it is a small tumor at the back of the tongue. They said they used to remove them, but now spare the most they can and have equal success with radiation and chemo. Have spent a lot of time with PET,CAt etc scans and have a plan locally of 7 weeks of radiation five days a week and double on Friday of IMRT and a chemo cocktail once a wee4k for about 7 hours for the same 7 weeks of Taxotere, Cisplatir,Celuximab. They are using Amifostine to help preserve the salivary glands prior to radiation. I understand the Amifostine makes one very nauseous. I've read horror stories of getting your teeth pulled. They say no, but he needs a floride mouth tray to use daily. No concept of surgery at this point, possibly the nodes down the road after they shrink.
It certainly was a nasty holiday and the new year doesn't seem bright. I'm terrified for him. He is 56 in good health takes good care of himself, works out etc. He drinks socially and only in the past few years smoked one or two cigars a week.
I am so confussed on where to get the best treatment, wtih the highest success rate. We are getting a second opinion at Sloan Kettering, and a friend has a friend that was treated there several years ago and the head rediologist is now at Beth Israel. We are going there too. Here good about MDD Anderson, but don't know where to turn. All things considered it would be nice to be home with friends and support nearby, our own kitchen, and bed. We also don't want to postpone treatment to search, when maybe it is all asically the same. I'm just confused and over whelmed at this point. It was tough having things stand still over the holidays and it feels better making progress.
I'd appreciate any feed back.
