need help please - 06-27-2005 06:55 PM
Hello,
My name is Doreen and my husband Lee, age 44, has stage IV base of tongue/larynx SCC. I am new to the group and did post previously(maybe in the wrong section). lee had a total glossectomy and partial laryngectomy(epiglottis)
and is now undergoing chemo and rad. He is treating at Univ of penn and received a concurring opinion at Sloan that he had to have surgery since he had rad for tonsillar non-hodgkin's lymphoma 9 yrs. ago (perhaps causing this cancer?) and he could not have enough rads this time without the surgery. He was given about a 10% chance of swallowing but apparently this combo of surgery is not common and there are not a lot of statistics. Apparently, the total tongue and larynx is not done too often. We were told that this combo will make swallowing anything pretty tricky and solids are out. I guess my question is if anyone has had this type of surgery, what is your swallowing status and is/was your trach permanent? Any info would be helpful. I did post under another section, so i'm not sure if it was the wrong section or if no one had this scenario. Thank you and God Bless us all.
Doreen
My name is Doreen and my husband Lee, age 44, has stage IV base of tongue/larynx SCC. I am new to the group and did post previously(maybe in the wrong section). lee had a total glossectomy and partial laryngectomy(epiglottis)
and is now undergoing chemo and rad. He is treating at Univ of penn and received a concurring opinion at Sloan that he had to have surgery since he had rad for tonsillar non-hodgkin's lymphoma 9 yrs. ago (perhaps causing this cancer?) and he could not have enough rads this time without the surgery. He was given about a 10% chance of swallowing but apparently this combo of surgery is not common and there are not a lot of statistics. Apparently, the total tongue and larynx is not done too often. We were told that this combo will make swallowing anything pretty tricky and solids are out. I guess my question is if anyone has had this type of surgery, what is your swallowing status and is/was your trach permanent? Any info would be helpful. I did post under another section, so i'm not sure if it was the wrong section or if no one had this scenario. Thank you and God Bless us all.
Doreen