| | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Likes: 1 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Likes: 1 | 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...?
Oropharyngeal Cancer, SCC, HPV 16+, stage IV T1N2b age 45
Started in my tonsils and spread to my lymph nodes
Cisplatin x3 with concurrent daily radiation treatments started 10/22/13 finished 12/6/2013
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | 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.
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
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 | 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
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: 40 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 40 | 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.
Age 54 at DX 06/20/13 Left Neck Mass 07/11/13 DX SCC OC T0N2bM0 Stg IVa p16 neg. 08/09/13 Tonsilectomy and Adnoidectomy, Panendoscopy. Unknown Primary. Begin RAD 09/30/13 Cisplatin 10/01&22/13 PICC 10/21/13. PEG 10/25/13 to 1/24/14. Erbitux x 3. End 35 RAD 11/22/13 Clear PET 02/25/14
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Likes: 1 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 67 Likes: 1 | 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.
Oropharyngeal Cancer, SCC, HPV 16+, stage IV T1N2b age 45
Started in my tonsils and spread to my lymph nodes
Cisplatin x3 with concurrent daily radiation treatments started 10/22/13 finished 12/6/2013
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