Paul,
Oh I'll keep going back LOL I hope I have that response!!!' But yes, I will finish the 3 rounds they are thinking I will need and then if I get the reaction you saw and they're hoping for then they say it be chemoradiation after that. My RO said I will likely get the external beam and the seeds (brachytherapy). Any experience with that (seeds)?

I had a newer form of brachytherapy twice called HD-IORT, High Dose Intraoperative Radiation Therapy, which uses the same radiation accelerator as HDR Brachytherapy. Brachytherapy, internal radiation, is given in low dose rate, high dose rate, Pulse Rate, temporary and permanent seeds too, like with prostrate cancer.

IORT was somewhat similar, and is used during the tumor resection, and radiation applicators placed directly on the tumor and given in high dose, like 12Gy, which is actually equivalent to 3x that of external beam, followed by chemoradiation after healing.

I have some information on Brachytherapy that you may find of interest.

http://www.americanbrachytherapy.org/patients/index.cfm

I hope your surgery went well yesterday, and good luck with the chemo today!

Wow... I'm surprised they said the chemo would stop the growth. I am not sure that they can guarantee that, but I honestly hope they are right.

If there are patients here who've had rads and chemo and their cancer continues to grow then I am not sure how they can state for certain that the tumor will not continue to grow.

Best of luck (from the bottom of my heart)
You are at good hospitals so I have hope that they are right.

hugs. Let us know how it goes.

Hi Paul,
The surgeries ended up being quite a speed bump--I'm calling it that now---wasn't happy little more than 24 hours ago. Doctors admitted me Sunday, 6/21 because I have hyperthyroid (Graves Disease) and since the tumor is on my tongue the anesthiologist wanted to evaluate me first. Due to Graves and general stress around all of this my heart rate was ridiculously high-at one point 118 so Monday morning he wanted full endocrine consult. Endocrinologist said just give beta blocker and she'll be fine but by then (10 mins later) IR had already bumped me from schedule. Long story, short couldn't get me back on schedule Til 2:30 yesterday so I was in hospital an extra night and it meant I couldn't eat or drink after midnight Monday morning until 4:00 when IR said there was no way they could do it Monday and then again no food/drink as of midnight Tuesday until almost 9 last night when they discharged me.
Surgeries went well but the PED is quite sore. I'm still swallowing liquids and pur�ed foods well. Chemo starts today. I was able to get fluids and calories in but obviously not a full day's worth.

Hi Cheryl,
My precise question was would it continue to spread and their answer was no it shouldn't and if did we would have a bigger problem on hand. Perhaps due to the intensity of the TPF and the fact that it will treat my entire body rather than the targeted areas only that radiation treats. If the tumor responds to this then that's a good indication it will respond to radiation. Not all rumors respond to radiation--that I learned as well so the TPF gives my doctors some good info in that respect as well.

Two amazing hospitals so here I go!! Fingers crossed my tumor responds!! My friends and I have named this beast---I was calling it the nightmare or "flipping" nightmare in my mouth so they started calling FNIMM (pronounced Fennim lol). Gives me something to address and put on notice. Sometimes ya just gotta laugh in this fight or it a all becomes just too much.

Sorry for your compounded troubles. I was going to say that seemed kind of much with the two procedures in one day, and then IC the following day. I had the port put in the same day as I started IC, wasn't a problem, but didn't have a peg tube until two months later, which left me sore. Many HNC patients wind up having hyperthyroidism from radiation, I do. Which hospital are you gong too? Both?

Good luck today!

More power to you... a chemo combo is harder than the chemo given with rads... I'm sure you'll get through it okay... hopefully they have a quick plan in place post treatment so they can get you going right away.

Hugs. and best of luck to you.

Hi everyone....I am 3 days into induction chemo. So far only side effect is fatigue! They have had me hydration last two days which I read that some people said is essential---the center is open all weekend and available if I start feeling queasy and nauseous as well. Disconnect from pump on Monday! There is already some shrinkage of tumor noted and some improvement in speech as well. I'm trying to keep my hopes in check but I am hopeful and happy that I am having good luck side effect wise so far!
Cheryl...yes after week 1 of cycle 2 we will reassess and update scans to see what's going on and decide next steps. If there is not enough of a change then the recommendation will likely be surgery with original tumor margins (total glossectomy) but If it does react positively then after cycle 3 I will start chemo-radiation right away. Right now the plan would be to do high dose Cisplatin and external beam as well as seeds (brachytherapy) obviously ALL of this is up in the air until formal assessment is conducted and discussed!
I feel very good with my decision and my treatment team!

Paul, most HNC end up with hyperthyroidism??? I think most end up with hypothyroidism. The radiation usually burns out the thyroid---and that will likely end up what Happens to me and if for some reason it doesn't then once my treatment is over they will burn it out because it will deplete my white blood cells and be too hard on my heart.