Hi all
48 year old male here. I went to the Dr. on 10-07 with what i thought was strip throat (sore gland and white spot on tonsil area). Lump formed around tonsil. Kept growing, Anyway back and forth three times with different antibiotics prescribed. Last month he said I will probably need my tonsils taking out. Finely he sent me to the ear, nose and throat Dr. appointment was made. One month out. Lump big enough to move uvula out of the way . Last week I started to spit up blood. Called and got my appt moved to next day. Ear. nose and throat Dr. He looked, biopsies and has now confirmed cancer SCC. It looks like my left tonsil area is giving birth to a walnut sized alien. HaHa. My left gland is hard also.
Anyway I see the Oncologist tomorrow evening. They have me scheduled for a PET scan and CT of head the next day.
Any advice on questions to ask would be appreciated. I am a little scared but am also ready to as my 16 year old daughter says BE CANCERS CANCER.
Jeff

Welcome, Jeff. Read the Read This First post and explore the boards. Tons and tons of information here, and many with real specific information for you.

When you read teh Read This First post, it will tell you how to edit your signature to include details about your diagnosis and treatment, which helps others tailor their comments to your situation.

My cancer was Base of Tongue (BOT on the boards), which is a 1st cousin to yours. Both are considered oropharynx cancer. I also had a solid lymph node. The PET and CT scans are a piece of cake, but waiting for the results can be unnerving.

Where are you being treated? Most will strongly suggest that you get to a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC), where you can receive the most up to date, multidisciplinary treatment.

It is a scary time, but very doable. Your daughter has the right idea!! Be aggressive, be positive, and do everything the doctors tell you. A year ago I was in a hospital bed recovering from a neck dissection, and am cancer free today. Had my most recent check up yesterday.

Stay close to the boards and ask lots and lots of questions. As you read posts, you will get lots of tips on what to ask the doctor, but common things include:

1. Size (in cm) and T Stage of primary tumor
2. Number and size of involved lymph nodes, if known
3. Any planned surgery to remove primary? What will that specifically involve? What are the short and long term effects of the surgery, both functional and cosmetic?
4. Any planned neck dissection? If so, what type (Radical, Modified Radical, Selective), and on one or both sides?
5. Radiation planned? What type, how long, before or after surgery?
6. Chemotherapy? Which agents? How frequently?

Lots of others will get involved as you move forward, but those are some of the biggies. Sorry you have joined our little fraternity, but you will find great information and support here!!
4.

Welcome Jeffd - your story sounds like mine except it was the right tonsil.

thanks for the info. I am really glad I found his site

I am not sure how to tell the boss how much time i am going to be missing. I realize I have not been staged yet. Are some people working through the chemo and or Radiation? are most people off the whole treatment time and longer/

If you were/are not a tobacco user I would request an HPV test on the biopsy slides. Read more about HPV here on this site.

You are very fortunate to have found this site as it will become your best weapon outside your Tx.

Get as many Tx opinions as you want and don't let anyone cut on you until you are seen by a CCC. I had 4 doctors, 2 of which were cancer docs, that wanted to cut me up but Moffitt convinced me that was not the best alternative and I'm glad I kept gettong second opinions.

Good morning

Thanks for the all the replies so far. It is nice to know I am not alone.

I am meeting with my Oncologist today. He is in the clinic where I see my primary Dr. In fact his check in desk is the same as my primary dr.(think over the last five months my primary could of asked his neighbor the oncologist about the lump growing in my throat instead of throwing antibiotics at it). I am a little mad about that one.

Anyway I was wondering if I should be pressing to be seen at OHSU(Oregon Health and Sciences university). My ear, nose and throat Dr says he is in consultation with a Dr Anderson at OSHU who specializes in head and neck cancers. My ear, nose and throat Dr also says he thinks I might be able to be treated here (Corvallis Or) with chemo and radiation. My clinic does not have a CCC as far as I can tell.

PET and CT tomorrow so will get an official sign in symptom list going soon.

Also I need to know if I am out of work for most all of the treatment time.

My first question list for the Oncologist

1- Are you sure its cancer
2- Time seems of the essence
3- What size do you think it is
4- When it bled did it spread stuff
5- Have you seen this big of tumor on tonsil and is it my tonsil
6- Is this a pretty advanced case
7- Will I be able to work some or be off the whole time
8- Surgery, neck dissertion,yes/ no
9- Is this a Comprehensive Cancer Center
10- Do you have the latest equipment
11- Would ohsu be better equipped for my case
12- Will you consult with dr Anderson
13- Is second opinion ok
14- Will I need a peg
15- Will I be able to swallow
16- Teeth?
17- What did my blood work say
18- When will we get PET and CT scan info
19- When will we start chemo
20- Will I be able to drive to my appointments
21- Will I be able to take care of myself?

Thanks Jeff

All good questions but be sure to take notes of the answers and then come back to us and we'll try to fill in the gaps.

Hello Jeff,
Your story is quite similar to several here. You don't seem too stressed in your writing but I imagine you are. Any surgical options they mention will sound worse than they are so try to keep that in perspective. I will guess that they will want to remove the tonsil, any part of the tumor that has grown beyond the tonsil and at least a partial neck dissection. The neck dissection will provide the information about how far the cancer has moved into the lymph system. Do not fear this, as I (and many others) had multiple lymph nodes involved and 7 years later am OK. Staging of your cancer will come after they know more about your particular case. Radiation/chemo will also likely be suggested. Time will seem to slow down as far as moving through the system. Let the professionals do their job. If you have any doubts, get to the bigger treatment center. This is no time to be someone's "practice" patient.

Jeff,
Another great source of information is in the Getting Through it Project Forum at the very bottom. There is a Subject called Draft Copy. Click on this and in the very first post there is a link called GTI Draft Copy which is pdf document. It even has a table of contents so you can find things easily. You will find a lot of valuable information in this document.