Tomorrow is my last chemo and radiation treatment. Happy to be getting done, but concerned about the future.

I can still feel the tumor spot on my neck even though it is smaller. I asked my RO about the size remaining. He didn't seem concerned at all. He said it was normal and the radiation would continue working after treatment for several more weeks.

What has everyone experienced at the end of treatment as far as tumor size? Was the lump completely gone, mostly gone...?

Congratulations on completing treatment!

Your doctor is right, radiation continues to work just as long as your treatment lasted, and was told 6 weeks. After my radiation treatment in 2011, I still had an enlarged lymph node that the doctor wasn't too concerned about either, saying it was probably necrotic, and waited 5 months to have my post treatment scan, which was clear. Unfortionately, I had loco-regional metatastic recurrence in the lymph nodes about 6 months later, and needed a modified radical neck dissection, which turned out to be a radical neck dissection, and more after that, but my case is not the ordinary. Some doctors like to do a neck dissection for any clinically partial or incomplete responses, and some even a "planned neck dissection" after treatment, in a specified time, keeping the total treatment package under 100 days, which has better outcome than watching and waiting. One of the keys to survival is controlling the lymph nodes.

Good luck with everything.

Good for you on reaching treatment completion. I know it seems like it was a long time coming. I'm 14 zaps behind you so if this winter weather will cooperate I'll be joining you in about 3 weeks.

Congratulations.

Tony

I completed my treatment 11/22 and also have a lymph node that has gone from the size of a golf ball to barely noticeable now. I too was concerned and my RO also said it would continue to get smaller over the next few months. Pet scan planned 12 weeks post Tx. I guess we just have to wait and see.

Thanks for the responses. I trust the doctors, but really trust the patient experience as well. My tumor is down from 4 cm to less than 2 cm (rough guestimate of final size by the MO).

The last of the cisplatin is in now. Getting the hydration and then on to the last radiation treatment.

Very happy to be finishing, but the big celebration is still to come.