| Joined: Nov 2012 Posts: 1 Member | OP Member Joined: Nov 2012 Posts: 1 | Hello everyone,
My dad was diagnosed with a lesion in his right cheek in October 2011, biopsy for which reported non malignant. Based on doctor's suggestion he still was put through a surgery to remove the additional mass in his cheek. During the surgery they removed six teeths from his upper jaw and cut the section of disease with clear margins and closed it with a skin graft which came from his thigh. He recovered with a side effect of very less mouth opening and was doing good until June 2012 when we again noticed swelling on his face. Did a CT scan and found it to have extended to the right side neck lymph node and moving towars maxillary sinus with bone erosion and higher ITF involvement. The onco surgeon was not convinced for a surgery and hence he was put through NACT with Cisplatin and Docetaxal which resulted in grade 4 toxicity. After this the doc decided on a CT+RT treatment. Dad attended 7 sittings with Erbutix and 28 days of IGRT. Side effects to be reported severe mucositis with almost nil mouth opening and feed through ryle's tube. He was then admitted for 6 days for supportive care to overcome mucositis. He's back home but we again notice hardness and swelling at the place of tumour but the swelling keeps on increasing and decreasing. The doc says it's because of radiation and should improve with time and has suggested a CT scan after 4 weeks. Since there's no appropriate reply from doctor and we all are anxious to know, can someone advice if swelling is a common part of healing after radiation and has someone seen a similar case?
Any reply is awaited.
Thanks | | | | 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 | Welcome to OCF. I will attempt to answer your question. Please understand, we are not doctors who have had many years of medical training and experience and we do not have your fathers complete medical history in front of us. That said, yes, swelling is common after finishing radiation treatments and usually gradually subsides over the 2 or 3 months post treatment. But the swelling and hardness can unfortunately also be a sign of a recurrence. If you are unhappy with your fathers medical care, I would suggest to try to find him another experienced physician.
When in doubt of a symptom if it is serious or not, always err on the side of caution and get it checked by a medical professional. Always better safe with a false alarm than sorry with delayed diagnosis.
Hope its nothing serious!!! 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 | | | | 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 | Just out of curiosity - you said the tumor was non malignant... Yet they did chemo, rads etc.... ? Wow...
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
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