SCC, t1 on the right underside of the tongue. It was discovered about four or five months ago. Had partial glossectomy three months ago - I consulted with a radiation oncologist before the surgery was done and he concurred with the surgeon that surgery was right option. The surgeon believed he could get clear margins and still preserve speech and swallowing. I had the surgery. One month post-operatively, my follow-up exam, he said all was well. Three weeks after that I returned, my tongue seemed to be thickening and I had a wound again on the bottom right of my tongue. He thought the cancer might be back, biopsied - and it was. He now suggested the radiation. Went to the radiation oncologist
who planned a course of 7 weeks radiation and chemotherapy. The medical oncologist is recommending cisplatin three times, once every three weeks concurrent with the radiation. The chemo starts tomorrow.

Concerned about the side effects of the cisplatin, hearing loss, kidney, neurological and immune (lowered blood counts), I spoke with the medical oncologist's nurse who said that erbitux might be a reasonable option but is not as well studied.

Like I said, I'm starting the chemo tomorrow and will have to decide. It may be too late posting now to get any responses but I thought I'd throw this out there anyway.

The scc though caught in an earlier stage has shown that it is aggressive.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Jef, I'm glad that they're taking an aggressive approach given that your cancer has shown that it's aggressive. Many of us got through cisplatin without any long term effects. The short term effects (nausea and lowered blood counts) are pretty inevitable but there are medications that help. As for kidney problems, be sure to have your kidney function thoroughly tested beforehand. I had had a bad kidney infection a few years before my cancer diagnosis and a CT showed there might be an area on my kidney that had been damaged by that, but the tests I had of kidney function showed no problems and I had no problems with my kidneys from the cisplatin. As for the hearing loss, just stay alert for symptoms during treatment.

I may be wrong about this (there are other peopke on the board who know more) but I thought I had read here that now some CCCs do erbitux and cisplatinum as treatment along with radiation. But your MO may think that's really overkill for you.....

Nelie

Hi Jef,
I completed 3 cycles of cisplatin concurrent with radiation and it was manageable. I had no real side effects accept for nausea, which was managed by the anitemetics. I was just reading that Tom ("tomswife") just completed treatment and had radiation with concurrent cisplatin and erbitux. Do a search on his name. He also has a link to his own website with additional information. Good luck in your treatment.

Kelley

Hi, Jef,
Yes, my husband, Tom, had cisplatin and Erbitux concurrent with radiation. Erbitux is new to oral cancers, but well-documented for colorectal cancer. Not long ago I posted a some links to more info on Erbitux. If you use the search feature I'm sure you'll find them. We had to overcome some insurance hurdles to get the Erbitux covered.

Tom's tonsil cancer was caught early but the docs decided to be very agressive and hit it with all they have. Tom had two Cisplatin treatments and, as others have mentioned, most of the side effects are manageable. Zofran, compazine and decadron for nausea, and drink lots of water. Neurological and immune system effects are risks of any chemo treatment. You will be monitored and told what symptoms are the red flags for which you must notify your doctor immediately. Hearing loss is one of those. There is another thread going on hearing loss, which occurs in 6 of 10 patients. Before you start the Cisplatin, you may want to request a hearing evaluation so you can do a before and after.

I believe you should definitely ask "why not Cisplatin AND Erbitux?"

Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.

Joyce