Hi there,
I was just diagnosed with T1 SCC. What is the typical time line from diagnosis to surgery. Is it normal to wait 20+ days? Does that seem slow? Or does that seem quick?
I just want to have this thing removed- and the surgery was just put off about a week.
Thanks and regards,
Sally

That seems average... Mine was a month's wait. But there were two weeks of Christmas holidays where everything slowed to a crawl! For me the sooner the better! It's an early stage so it's best to get it out ASAP... Actually I feel that way about all cancers if surgery is the primary treatment! my surgery was probably way more involved than yours will be that's why it took a bit longer as they have specific OR times - my surgery ran 14 hrs! I wouldnt be happy about the delay but it's not too bad - more than a week I would freak! take care- and I know exactly how you feel I wanted it GONE!

Sallyanne, 20 days sounds to be a good schedule for you to have surgery. I was able to put mine off for alittle over 2 months, diagnosed in early June and surgery August 24th. It also gives you plenty of time to get a 2nd opinion.

You have alot to do to prepare for the upcoming surgery. Eat all your favorite foods. Make sure all your affairs are set up to have someone take care of things for you. Its so much easier to do this now with the bill paying online. Line up everyone who offers their help. Write down their name and number, especially their cell phone. Hopefully everyone texts in case you have any speech impairment after the surgery. Once you come home it would be helpful if people would do a load of laundry or pick up a few groceries for you. There are all kinds of things that a friend could do to help you. Make sure you have something to write on, just in case, like a dry erase board.

Hi Sally, once diagnosed anyone would like to get it off as soon as possible. There is no standard wait time. If you want to get a second opinion, you could use the time. But invariably, irrespective of the reasons it usually takes 2-3 weeks to go under knife. My father was diagnosed SCC on 1st Feb 2009 and he had his surgery on 16th Feb. It takes a while for the news of diagnosis to sink in. There is denial first, then panic and finally admission and then you actually start planning next course of action. Ours included getting opinion for CCC and finally opting for treatment at CCC. CCC doctor wanted to operate him as soon as possible but we needed time to prepare and ofcourse there was wait period at CCC.

Having said all this, if you do require adjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy post the surgery, just ensure that treatment is completed in < 100 days.

There are "protocols" for time from diagnosis to surgery and yours certainly sounds like it is well within the time limits. My first surgery was 5 weeks from diagnosis to surgery, but I do grant that the Canadian system's biggest fault is that it is slower. Our doctors do however have the right to send a patient to the US for quicker treatment if they are going to exceed the treatment protocol limits.

Glad to hear it is T1 - good luck with the surgery.

Donna

I guess I'm an exception to the rule. I saw my regular doctor on Monday, he scheduled me to see the ENT on Tuesday, the ENT scheduled the CAT scan for Wednesday. The ENT's office called on Thursday and said he wanted to see me so I saw him again that day. He's the one that told me it was cancer and gave me the name of two surgeons. I picked the "Italian" guy and called him when I got back to the office. They were waiting for my call and he saw me that afternoon. He set up an appointment for me on Friday to see a dentist that specializes with oral cancer patients and then they operated on Tuesday. Quite a week! I'm glad it happened all so quickly because as it was, I had too much time on my hands to think about it all!

Mine went pretty fast, too. I was diagnosed on a Monday, saw the surgeon on Tuesday, then had surgery the following week. I'm very glad that I didn't have to wait around for it.

I think the speed may have something to do with the staging - I guess the figure with a stage one or two thy hav a little wiggle room. Kudos to both our doctors! nd as always some hugs for doing so well!

That could very well be the case, Cheryl. Since mine was stage IV, they most likely didn't want to mess around with it.

Thank you for all of your responses.

My surgery has been confirmed for Sept 17. It's a Saturday- but they said that each of the doctors gets a rotating schedule where the doctors have their entire team working one Saturday per month. I wish there weren't so many patients with cancer to operate on- but I'm thrilled that I'll have the surgery in 11 days!!

Sally

37 (38 tomorrow), 10 years Leukoplakia history, T1 SCC, Surgery scheduled 9-17-11 at MSKCC. Ready to beat this and be cancer free!!
(will make sure that I update my signature properly before my next post!!)

That's great... now you have somewhere to focus your energy... you'll do fine... best of luck during surgery!

So pleased that your surgery is so soon! I had T1 SCC and it was a little over a month from the time I was diagnosed until my first surgery. Hope all goes well and that you'll have this behind you soon. Sending healing thoughts!

Hi Sallyanne,

It looks like you already got the answers to your questions:)

Good luck on the 17th and I look forward to hearing from you. Hang in there and like Christine said....eat all of your favorites now!!

One more question.... Has anyone had bad acid reflux? I told the doctor earlier this week & he looked at my throat & wasn't worried. But, I've never had this before & it's bothersome & tastes bad. It could just be my nerves- but not sure is something that anyone else has had along with tongue & tumor...?
Thanks!

I had bad reflux before, still deal with it although it is not as bad now as I'm on a liquid diet. Prilosec OTC or I get the Omneprozale from Costco really cheap and I'm good to go

I've been on the Omneprozale from the end of treatment. Have no problems since. Just part of what the rads do I guess.

I haven't even had any rads or surgery yet... My body seems to have jumped the gun!!

Its likely nerves! His whole thing can take you by surprise and really does a number on your head! You may thin your okay but your body sometimes knows better! Try not to worry... And good luck on the 17th

Sally,

I had acid reflux. I told my Surgeon at Moffitt I feel like something is stuck in my throat he told me it's acid reflux he put me on Nexium. I take it daily and have for the past 2 years I don't have that feeling anymore.

Look in your messages sent you one.

Good luck on the 17th I'll be thinking of you. You'll be fine. I know the worry, been there. Keep us posted as soon as you can.

God Bless...

Connie

[quote=sallyanne]I haven't even had any rads or surgery yet... My body seems to have jumped the gun!! [/quote]

Sally, you know what emotional conditions like anxiety, stress and nervousness can cause acid reflux. Try to relax and stay calm, you will be alright. All the best for your surgery.

I am very happy to hear yours is a stage 1 and very much hope you have a good surgeon.

Your wait time is reasonable.

Before I go into my situation, remember everyone is different! When I was first diagnosed with tonsil cancer on a thursday
(before easter weekend 2004) the ent I first went to scheduled me for surgery the following Tuesday...his plan was to remove my infected tonsil followed by radiation......sound good?

My tumor measured about 3 cm.

Over the weekend I researched surgery on this disease online and spoke with another physician's nurse by phone on monday, the day before my scheduled surgery.

She convinced me to go to her physician the next day
(I canceled my surgery with the other ent) as he was also an ent who ONLY did surgical oncology in the head and neck.

Further he was one of literally a handful of doctors in the world trained in the use of transoral laser microsurgery......a device that when used by skilled physician has shown to have a very good success rate at achieving negative margins.

I had to wait an additional 3 weeks.

By the time I was operated on he removed a tonsil tumor that had grown to 3.5cm and the cancer had spread to a node and and broke open to the soft tissue in my neck. That tumor was almost 5cm.

He also performed a neck dissection and removed 3 layers of nodes. I am glad of my decision because even though I waited an additional 3 weeks...I had chose the right surgeon who indeed achieved negative margins in my stage IV cancer.

I did have to have f/u radiation for possible microscopic disease
which I did and completed my treatment.

Thats another story....


to my soft tissue in my neck