| | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) |  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Colette,
I'm so sorry its cancer. I live in Michigan and was treated in Grand Rapids. I have had a recurance and have moved over to U of M. I am at MD Anderson in Texas right now for a second opinion so your options can be far and wide concerning treatment. I have excelent insurance so i can do out of state fairly inexpensivly. Where are you in Michigan?
Kelly
Male
48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt.,
Stage 1, T3n0m0,
Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09
04-20-10 NED
8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b
10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly
3-12-12 PET - residual cancer
4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux
6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR
12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Colette,
Sorry, I just reviewed your response to me earlier. I would check Lemmon Holten cancer center in Grand Rapids to see if they take medicaid. They have a brand new facility and are highly regarded on this side of the state. Kalamazoo has a few great places. I can check with my local pros when I get back to MI on Saturday. I'll be at U of M on Tue for surgery but can ask my associates there what they can do for you on Monday. I have a direct line in so they may know of special programes for folks in your situation.
Feel free to PM Brian Hill. He has a great deal of resources and has beed a great help to me in finding good pros to help me.
Remember, This is not the end of the world and it looks like you cought it early. You have a great chance at a long and fruitful life; its just the next 6 months that are going to be real tough and you have all of us here to lean on whenever you need it.
Kelly
Male
48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt.,
Stage 1, T3n0m0,
Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09
04-20-10 NED
8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b
10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly
3-12-12 PET - residual cancer
4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux
6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR
12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Colette,
I have found two people at the admissions office at U of M's head and neck cancer unit. I am sending their contact information to you in a PM. I have their direct phone lines so you should be able to talk to them today if you can get one of them on the phone.
You will find the folks over there are real easy to deal with and I am sure you will get the best of care.
This is one of the best hospitals in the world treating head and neck cancer today. I am sending prayers your way hoping they will find a way to get you in.
To look for my PM to you, go to the top of the page and look at the tab for "My Stuff" you shoud see a blinking envelope.
Kelly
Male
48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt.,
Stage 1, T3n0m0,
Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09
04-20-10 NED
8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b
10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly
3-12-12 PET - residual cancer
4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux
6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR
12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Hi there - next - if you haven't had them already are scans! This will tell them if it's moved (likely not as it seems very early stage) . Staging is based on size under 2 cm T1, T2 - 2-4 cm , 4+ T3 etc... Nodes - they'll - scans will also ndicate possible lymphnodes involved. (MRI, ct, pet) not all - one or two. Yes you should go to the best possible CCC - check the main page - there is a List. After the scans - surgery (depending on the side - they may rebuilt what's removed or not. And a possible neck dissection. (they routinely remove some nodes to be on the safe side.) just in case there are a few cells in them. Then onc the path report has come back and you've recovered - they'll tell you if you need chemo + rads! There are certain things they look for to indicate a yes or no.
If its yes they'll set you up for treatment - if it's no they'll keep a close eye out of a few years!
Sorry about the news - hopefully is stage one and surgery is the only thing
Needed. Good luck!
Last edited by Cheryld; 10-13-2011 10:19 PM.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 711 | Sorry to hear that, but it's ghood that you found OCF ahead of time. What happens next depends a lot on staging and if it has spread. Much has been said about CCC's but for many of us there are none very close. My small town of Chico Ca has an excellent regional cancer center which works closely with UC Davis. I don't know how many of these smaller cancer centers there are, but if a CCC is not practical, it's an option. However you look at it, Cancer Sucks!
David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer.
And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer.
May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 388 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 388 | Colette - you found the best place and people to see you thru whatever treatment they decide is needed for you. My husband has had 3 SCCs and all were "well differentiated", which is better news than "poorly ....". He never had radiation or chemo, but had surgeries to remove these early cancers. Once they stage you, you will get the information on where they will proceed in your case. Hopefully, this was caught early, no nodal involvement, and a good scenerio for your treatment. Stick with us, we'll get you thru it.
Husband: 3 SCC gum and cheek cancers 2002, 2005, 2006: surgery only. Scans clear after removal of small, well differentiated, non-invasive cancers. No radiation. 4th SCC lip diagnosed 4/13/07 - in situ, removed in biopsy. More lip removed 2/8/08 - dysplasia. 2 Biopsies 3/17/09 no cancer (lichenoids)
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 | Colette, I am so sorry you have gotten the terrible news of being positive for cancer. You are in the right place for help. Glad you have found this forum. We will help you thru this.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | |
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