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#164179 04-19-2013 07:14 PM
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My dad is done with his chemo for 7 weeks and only has 5 more radiation treatments. He has made it through all this without a PEG! We are really glad the radiation is almost over. He says that is the hardest part and that the chemo is the easy part. In 7 weeks, he will do 3 months of weekly chemo, having it 3 weeks in a row then one off.

He is already telling is what all he want to eat when he can again. How soon did you all start eating any type of solid food again?

Thank you all for your support on this forum!


Brandi, daughter of:
Jack, age 69, non-smoker, BOT primary, Stage 4, HPV+
1/28/2013: Surgery. All cancerous masses removed. Dad is CANCER FREE!!!
2/26/2012: Beginning of TX. Weekly chemo: Carboplatin and Taxol. Daily RT (about 40 total)
4/25/2013: Will be last day of TX, both chemo and RT
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Thats excellent news!!! Im so glad your father is doing so well.

Hang in there, there are still a few bad weeks coming before it gets easier. Unfortunately radiation gets progressively harder as time goes on, even after its over it continues to work which makes it rough for the patient.

I was struggling to eat thru out my treatments. I began eating again about 3 weeks after finishing. Canned peaches and chicken and stars soup were easy foods for me. Here is a list that will help your father with his eating.

Easy to Eat Foods List


Christine
SCC 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 smile
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Good for your dad! It is. Tough treatment, so glad he has done well.


Gloria
She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails... Elizabeth Edwards

Wife to John,dx 10/2012, BOT, HPV+, T3N2MO, RAD 70 gy,Cisplatinx2 , PEG in Dec 6, 2012, dx dvt in both legs after second chemo session, Apr 03/13 NED, July 2013 met to lungs, Phase 1 immunotherapy trial Jan 18/14 to July/14. Taxol/carboplatin July/14. Esophagus re-opened Oct 14. PEG out April 8, 2015. Phase 2 trial of Selinexor April to July 2015. At peace Jan 15, 2016.
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So happy to hear that your Dad is so close to end of treatment. At that point in my treatment, I found the last few treatments and first weeks post treatment to be about the same (in terms of pain, discomfort). I am 3 weeks post treatment and just beginning to think about solid foods (though I have a PEG). I had a few canned peaches without issue. I am going to start on Ensure and step up from there.

Congratulations on being so close to the end!

Nancy


Nancy
Age 56 at diagnosis
Neck Lymph node removed 11/2012
Tonsillectomy perfomed 12/2012 - identified as primary
SCC Left Tonsil with Left Node involvement, DX 12/2012
RX started 1/29/2013, finished 3/23/2013;
Daily IMRT (35 Sessions)
Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin (6 weeks)
PEG placed after week 4 (3/1/2013)
PEG removed 6 1/2 months later (8/12/2013)
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Has anybody else had the chemo after radiation that he is going to have? I just find this curious. Most induction chemo is first, then some chemo with radiation. I don't think I have ever seen anyone have chemo for so long after rads have ended. Input?


Kathy wife/caregiver to:
Kevin age:53
Dx 7/15/11
HPV16+ SCC Stage IV BOT/R
Non smoker, casual drinker
7/27/11 Cistplatin, taxotere,5FU 2/3week sessions, followed by IMRT 125cgy x 60 (2x daily) w/Erbitux weekly. Last rad 10/26/11. Last Erbitux 10/27/11
PEG placed 9/1/11 Removed 11/8/11
Clear PET 10/12 and 10/13 and ct in 6/14
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I am thinking I had read about have extra treatments in a trial study to see if it would help prevent recurrence. Could this be the reason?


Husband diagnosed Oct '11 Cancer of the vocal cord Nov '11 removed right vocal cord. Neck Dissection, cancer in one node, .2, very small & contained) Jan '12 Radiation and Cisplatin, 6 doses. June '12 & Dec '12 clear Pet scan. April '13 Celebrating 1 year cancer free since treatment ended.
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Where was your Dad treated? That was a lot for HPV+ SCC! Re the eating....as soon as he wants to.... each of us can be different but I was so anxious I started eating solid foods 3 weeks post radiation. Started with mac n cheese, fruit cocktail, mashed potatoes w/ gravy in fact ANYTHING with gravy. I was never much of a sweets eater pre cancer but post cancer I found it was one of my strongest tastes so I have been making up for lost time ever since.


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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Hey, David. He is being treated at a cancer center in Plano, TX. Not too far from Dallas. I know his cancer was quite aggressive and from the beginning, the doctors said they were gonna hit him hard to make sure they kill it all and it doesn't come back.

As far as him having the extra chemo, the nurses said it's just an extra precautionary to make sure any little macrobiotic cancer cells are killed off so there will be a smaller chance of reoccurance.

Tomorrow is his last day!!!!!!!!!!


Brandi, daughter of:
Jack, age 69, non-smoker, BOT primary, Stage 4, HPV+
1/28/2013: Surgery. All cancerous masses removed. Dad is CANCER FREE!!!
2/26/2012: Beginning of TX. Weekly chemo: Carboplatin and Taxol. Daily RT (about 40 total)
4/25/2013: Will be last day of TX, both chemo and RT
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
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I'm sure everyone will breath a sigh of relief! Let's pray that's it!


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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It's called neoadjunct therapy, which is not new, or may even be considered as chemoprevention, I'm hearing more having this done after thier initial treatments. Lots of things factor in with eating solids again. One time it took me 5 months, just from chemo, another was 7 weeks after radiation and then 3 weeks for my last. You just have to relearn what you can eat and taste, which may take time. Good luck.


10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs






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