| | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 | I've had 9 treatments so far and I'm experiencing a mandibular gland or lymph node ?? that keeps getting bigger. It's under my jawline hard and about as big as an egg, also tender to the touch. I will see the dr next week as he was on vacation last week. His resident said it just a reaction to the radiation. Has anyone experienced this during treatment and so early in treatment? I can't even imagine it getting bigger as each day passes. Saliva is starting to get ropey and thick. I took of few sips of club soda, but didn't help. Do I need a lot more than a few sips? I know everyone is different but just wondering what helped some of you. Ahh, only my second week and of course am scared as I know this next week is when the sore throat is supposed to start. Doing my best to keep my eye on the prize...tho it seems so far away. Thanks to all who are constantly here for everyone.
Nancy (53 at dx)
Metastatic SCC. Stage III. HPV positive with occult primary. N1, no ecs
7/1/11 - L-Selective neck dissection. Tonsillectomy. All clean. No rad, no chemo.
5/29/13 - Found primary
7/3/13 - TORS
7/8/13 - Emergency Surgery/Blood vessel burst in throat
8/9/13 - Peg in
9/3/13 - Radiation starts 30 IMRT, 60gy BOT, 56gy both sides of neck
10/14/13 - Radiation ended!
11/12/13 - PEG out!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Nancy, please try not to look towards a schedule when the bad side affects will begin. It will make you have a more difficult time of things. Everyone is different and some members did fairly well until about week 5 or 6, while others struggled from the first week. The thick gunk will continue for a while. You can get suctioned out when you see the doc. Or ask a radiation nurse to do this for you. Some members have gotten a portable suction machine from a medical supply company with a doctors prescription. Ask your doc to check out the node. It could be anything. This has even happened to my then 20 year old son. Turned out to be nothing. Hang in there, we got your back 
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: May 2013 Posts: 187 Likes: 3 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: May 2013 Posts: 187 Likes: 3 | As far as thick gunk - the thickening secretions are normal and annoying. The salt water baking soda mix helps when used several times a day. Second option is to rinse with zero calorie soda. I used to buy a small 8 pack of Sprite Zero and rinse out my mouth. That gave relief as well.
Age 55 HPV 16+ SCC, BOT 050613 Stage IV
great team at OSU
Tx 6 weeks of rad started June 3
8 weeks of chemo started May 28
RTOG Phase III trial Cetuximab group.
Treatment completed 7/16/2013
PET Scan completed 10/08/13
Results discussed 10/11/13
NED - Free but am I
Next part of the journey?
1year PET 10/24/14 NED
Good reports now 10 years out.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | I had the lump in my neck appearing during radistion, and was concerned too. Dr said the same thing, it was from radiation, I called it a turkey neck, and took about a year to subside, but do show it to your doctor. The the thick ropey mucus is from the radiation effect on the salivary glands, which make thick and thin saliva, some a combination, or more of one or the other, but the parotid gland mainly produces thin saliva, and radiation only destroys thin saliva, not thick, so is the reason for the thick secretions. that may subside 3 weeks after treatment. As mentioned, rinsing helps, soda, brushing the teeth, tongue, maybd with a soft or a baby tooth brush. Mucinex, robotusem help with the mucus, rinsing with papaya juice or pineapple juice, and another is meat tenderizer diluted with water or mix with the juices. Tea also helps break up mucus. Sleeping on an incline also helps prevent it from backing up.
Good luck.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 | Thanks everyone, I will try them all until I find one that works. And yes Christine, again...you are right. I tend to worry, always have since I was a very little girl. Perhaps this journey can break me of that horrible characteristic of mine.
Nancy (53 at dx)
Metastatic SCC. Stage III. HPV positive with occult primary. N1, no ecs
7/1/11 - L-Selective neck dissection. Tonsillectomy. All clean. No rad, no chemo.
5/29/13 - Found primary
7/3/13 - TORS
7/8/13 - Emergency Surgery/Blood vessel burst in throat
8/9/13 - Peg in
9/3/13 - Radiation starts 30 IMRT, 60gy BOT, 56gy both sides of neck
10/14/13 - Radiation ended!
11/12/13 - PEG out!
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 262 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 262 | Hi Nancy, just want to say sorry it's getting rough. Wish I could offer more than solidarity! You got this --
(((HUGS)))
Mamacita
53
T3N2aM0 HPV+
5/26/13 discovered painless superball-sized lymph node in neck
6/26/13 DX SCC R palatine tonsil
7/16/13 TORS tonsillectomy & selective ND, mets to 2 nodes
9/3/13 Cisplatin and rads begin, tolerated 1.5 of 3 planned chemo doses
10/16/13 Treatment ends
Dec 13 Ulcer appears at surgery site
Jan 17 Biopsy -- no cancer!
Feb 17 CT/PET Scan lights up tonsil bed & nasal cavity, docs say probably inflammation, don't panic, rescan when ulcer subsides
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 269 |
Nancy (53 at dx)
Metastatic SCC. Stage III. HPV positive with occult primary. N1, no ecs
7/1/11 - L-Selective neck dissection. Tonsillectomy. All clean. No rad, no chemo.
5/29/13 - Found primary
7/3/13 - TORS
7/8/13 - Emergency Surgery/Blood vessel burst in throat
8/9/13 - Peg in
9/3/13 - Radiation starts 30 IMRT, 60gy BOT, 56gy both sides of neck
10/14/13 - Radiation ended!
11/12/13 - PEG out!
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