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#173517 11-04-2013 04:16 PM
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n74tg Offline OP
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1 down 34 to go: I had first of 35 rad treatments today. For those who haven't yet heard how a treatment goes, here's a description.

Lay down on table, put head into a cradle that exposes your neck to the upcoming machinations of Dr Mengele. You will feel like your chin is stuck straight up. It puts a little pressure on back of your neck.

Radiation therapist installs 6 gauze dental rolls, two on each side between tongue and teeth and one between teeth and cheek. These dental rolls absorb radiation splatter caused by amalgam or other metal filling and help prevent damage to tongue and cheek.

Head gets locked down to the table in your mask. If you're claustrophobic this might be an issue. I'm not, it's just uncomfortable.

Shoulder restraints get installed to push your shoulders down toward your waist.

You will naturally cross your feet, they will uncross them and velcro both feet to table. Then they will put a pillow under your knees.

The IMRT machine also functions as a standard x-ray machine. They take two images (top and side) for beam alignment purposes.

Then the big radiation head moves around you in a circular arc from below right shoulder, over the top, all the way around to below left shoulder. It stopped for me in about 8 locations and each time I could hear the whir of the machine, which I imagined to be radiation in progress.

When they turn on the overhead lights you know you're through

Tomorrow morning, same time same channel.


Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good

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Tony, now you are a
pro since you have the first one behind you. Most people are afraid of the unknown. Now you have a glimpse of what rads means to OC patients.

Please pay special attention every single day to your intake and push yourself to take in a minimum of 2500 calories and 48 oz of water every single day. Even when the going gets tough, let that be the bare minimum you take in and you will get thru rads easier.

Good luck with everything!!!


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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Posts: 269
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You did it!


Nancy (53 at dx)
Metastatic SCC. Stage III. HPV positive with occult primary. N1, no ecs
7/1/11 - L-Selective neck dissection. Tonsillectomy. All clean. No rad, no chemo.
5/29/13 - Found primary
7/3/13 - TORS
7/8/13 - Emergency Surgery/Blood vessel burst in throat
8/9/13 - Peg in
9/3/13 - Radiation starts 30 IMRT, 60gy BOT, 56gy both sides of neck
10/14/13 - Radiation ended!
11/12/13 - PEG out!
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Posts: 94
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Good luck with everything Tony! I try to think of it as every treatment making me more healthy in the long term.


36, female, left tonsil HPV+ SCC, T2N1
8/28/13 SCC in left tonsil
9/12/13 surgery:TORS and selective neck dissection (levels II-IV), 23 nodes removed
9/18/13 post surgery biopsy: 2mm clear margins, a 7mm lymph node positive in level IV, no ECL
10/28/13 rad begins, 30 treatments, tomotherapy
12/09/13 radiation ends!
2/10/14 papillary thyroid cancer
2/26/14 PET shows clear neck other than thyroid cancer, but with high uptake in an ovarian cyst
2/27/14 thyroidectomy
3/5/14 pelvic ultrasound



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It should go quickly. I am sure. It seems like a long haul but I was just realizing that this week is week three for my father in law. He is doing amazingly well (doesn't have nearly any of the normal problems we have because radiation is aimed further down. And as of last Thursday he is eating better and feeling little pain. He's only getting treatment for 5 weeks soooooo two more to go!!!! wink One foot in front of the other and you will be done in no time. hugs


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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n74tg Offline OP
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2 down, 33 to go - No, I won't report on every treatment unless I have something to say. Today the mask was a noticeably tighter fit. RT said sometimes we do get swelling.

She also asked if I was using fluoride trays (I am) as she says most/many opt for teeth removal prior to rads. That surprised me a little. She didn't qualify it in any way, such as for people who have lots of dental problems.

Oh well, tight mask was tolerable, we'll face tomorrow ... tomorrow.

Still hangin in (a good mental place)
Still hangin out (doing what pleases me, today bridge)
Still hangin around (happy to be alive, I will not go quietly into that good night).

Tony


Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good

Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 28
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Good stuff Tony. I am interested to hear how the gauze rolls help reduce the effects of radiation scatter off your fillings. I did not have them and have a small lesion on the side right part of my tongue. I started holding my tongue under the teeth in the gap at the bottom of my mouth and it helps somewhat.

Also interesting to hear they strap your feet down and your shoulders. i don't have either of those things. Betting it's just for extra stability and probably not all a bad idea.

The mask will loosen over time as you'll lose some weight.

Hang in there. You've started and now it's just a countdown till you're walking down the right side of the bell curve.


47, Non-smoker, moderate drinker
7/13 Found a lump on my neck
8/08/13 Dx HPV 16+ SCC right tonsil
8/19/13 Biopsy and neck dissection, 38 lymph nodes removed 2+ for cancer
9/23/13 Start 33 radiation treatments & 4 x Carboplatin/Taxol, 3 x Taxol only
11/07/13 Last radiation treatment
01/03/14 Post treatment CT scan looks good
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
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RT's remark re teeth is soooo wrong. Patients that need dental work should have it done pre radiation. Patients that have good teeth protect them and their gums as much as possible during and post Tx and do NOT have them pulled just because they are facing radiation.

Don't worry about the tight fitting mask. For about 30 mins after the early rad sessions I looked like I had been hit in the face with a tennis racket. Then I lost weight and the mask was loose. Some loose so much weight they get a new mask.


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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One radiation facility used a plastic exercise stretch tube you held in your hands by the handles, and tube went around the bottom of your feet, while getting radiation, which pulled your shoulders downward, so there was no need for the shoulder straps. I never had my feet tied down, although, I think it was threatened if I didn't stop moving all the time.


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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Posts: 28
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Interesting mask stories. Maybe because mine fits around my shoulders is why I'm not strapped in. I always seem to hit the line up points perfect when they turn the lasers on. I have to remember to get the techs to take a picture of me strapped in before my last day for posterities sake.


47, Non-smoker, moderate drinker
7/13 Found a lump on my neck
8/08/13 Dx HPV 16+ SCC right tonsil
8/19/13 Biopsy and neck dissection, 38 lymph nodes removed 2+ for cancer
9/23/13 Start 33 radiation treatments & 4 x Carboplatin/Taxol, 3 x Taxol only
11/07/13 Last radiation treatment
01/03/14 Post treatment CT scan looks good
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