I took the liberty of moving this post to a 'New Topic' so that everyone would know that Jack and Judy are new posters: (sorry if I didn't copy it exactly like it should have been)

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Hello all,
My name is Judy and I am CG for my husband Jack. Jack had an enlarged LN on the right side of his neck after a sore throat back in March. We didn't do anything initially assuming that the node would subside on it's own (I am a nurse, which explains away the nonchalant attitude!!!!!!!!!). When it didn't subside, we began with our family doc in June and he referred us to ENT who gave us a 90/10% chance that the node enlargement was related to cancer. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed a 3-4 cm mass at or near the base of his tongue/right tonsil. My husband is somewhat unconventional and his initial reaction was to run! He took a week long trip up to Vermont, our favorite place on earth and reflected on his diagnosis. He talked to the folks at Dartmouth and they told him that he needed to get home and get started on his treatment.
Jack, being unconventional, decided that he needed to go straight to the horses mouth, the person who would be staging and directing his treatment. So after some delay, we saw Dr. Roger Anderson at Rex Cancer Center in Raleigh NC. Our diagnosis: SCC at the base of his tongue, Stage III/IVA, T1, N2 unilateral, M0. This dx was made without direct laryngoscopy so we are back tracking a little and having the scope tomorrow. Should the result of the scope be the same as the dx above, Dr. Anderson has given us a choice of Fractionated IMRT with 38 treatments and the last 2 wks will be twice daily vs. 30 IMRT/Cisplatin x 3 doses. Dr. Anderson says that he expects the tumor as well as the nodes to shrink/disappear during the RT but if not then surgery to remove. After reading ALOT about this, I am somewhat concerned that some sites are recommending surgery first followed by RT. Dr. Andersons' response to that is that the RT will not have to penetrate scarring etc making it more likely to shrink/destroy the tumor. I do hope he is right. We both like him and trust him but we will wait until the result of the scope to finalize the treatment plan.
Thank you for allowing us to participate on the OCF site and we will keep you posted on our treatment course.
Judy and Jack
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Posts: 1 | From: North Carolina | Registered: Aug 2007 | IP: Logged

...Just wanted to give this topic a 'bump' so that Judy and Jack can get some WELCOMES and responses....

Welcome, Judy and Jack. I have read your post and your signature line and I am a little confused. Jack has already had surgery for the lymph node? Now youall will decide on the next round of tx? It's usually fun to live with an "unconventional" man, but it can also be a challange :rolleyes: What area of nursing are you in? By the way, taking a week in Vermont to digest the news sounds like a good way to handle things. We will be anxious to hear more from you. Amy in the Ozarks

Amy, that is Emmylou's signature line since she copied and posted the message. It won't appear again.

Sorry for the confusion....I'm no computer guru, but wanted to make sure that Judy & Jack's 'new member' post would get seen! It was buried in another thread.

(Petey's not here to do this now, and I felt that someone should!)

O.K. That's what I get for not reading carefully enough So, Judy and Jack, set us straight please. Amy in Oz

Hello to Jack & Judy (I hope);

I am a little confused about this post, but hope its straightened out so I can welcome these travellers too!

Jack's DX is not too different than mine, check signature below, and my ENT was a Dr. Anderson also, but my guy lives in a Vancouver, Canada suburb as do I. All I can do is wish Jack the same successes I have had to date, and if that means more coincidences than fewer, then so be it!

I know this will sound inconsistent with good medical reasoning, but the hardest treatment phase I experienced was the major surgery I had a few months after the radiation and chemo ended. Although I had difficulty swallowing due to the intensity of the volcano that had become my throat, the side-effects of the surgery have had a greater impact on my life now that I have 2 years to reflect on what went down.

Until the radical neck dissection was performed, I was going great, relatively speaking. So if there was anyway I could have avoided the surgery, either before or after the rad and chemo, I would have. There's no way you'll be able to avoid the radiation or chemo, so if Jack has a chance he might escape the knife, I would suggest he go for it rather than leading with his neck.

Although Cisplatin has a bad reputation for acute side effects, I slid through 3 "heavy dose" treatments without so much as a queezy feeling. I did 2 nights and 1 morning (times 3)in the hospital wondering what all the fuss was about, and why I had taken every precaution against nausea - even the unorthodox ones like the legal-in-Canada medical marihuana option - none of which were necessary. The standard drugs they made available were simply excellent and did their job without serious concern. I kept my full and flowing shoulder length hair without losing a single lock until after the surgery when it interfered with the wound's healing and I had it chopped off. I should have kept it to hide the missing one-half of my neck that the surgeon took along with the 27 lymph nodes.

But the end justifies the means, and my worst day with half a neck and a feeding tube is immeasurably better than the best day with cancer, and there's no mistake about that!

Anyway, look long and close at every option. Your nursing background will give Jack a real headstart in the research and support department. Unfortunately, there may be times when you feel there is too much information to deal with, and you yearn for simpler times. Don't forget that cancer plays by no rules, and even if it did, it is a cheater by nature. Make no assumptions, and don't be afraid to visit the wild side for options once in a while.

We wish you Godspeed and every success with Jack's treatment, and long and healthy lives to you both.

Stay in touch with progress, and we'll look forward to future posts.

All the best!
JT2

WOW,
What a warm welcome from my new friends at OCF! Thanks guys, you make me feel "at home" on the site already. Thank you, Lois, for moving my initial post! I think you did a great job!

Jack had his laryngoscopy/esophagoscopy/tumor biopsy today. He did wonderful. This was his first ever surgery! The surgeon did not see any additional lesions or areas of concern, Thank God! So, from here, we will go in for the "dry run" on Tues 9/4 with the first RT on Wed. He has had moderate pain today which has made him think a little more pro-PEG. He is sitting beside me enjoying his potato soup and says hello to all of you here!

I am an old ED nurse, which means that unless I see significant blood and gore, nothing really phases me! Probably one reason that I didn't recommend follow-up on the node back in March! Sometimes having a healthcare background can disadvantage us, as we always think that disease and illness is something that happens to our patients! When it hits home, it is often not taken seriously. So, you healthcare providers out there learn by my mistake and listen to your family with all of the attention they deserve. As far as the trip to Vermont is concerned, I chose not to go with him because I felt as if he should be here getting started on his treatment. As it turned out, the trip was just what he needed to be able to muster up the courage to fight!

I have read, with interest, the news article posted in the "What's in the News" section of this forum and understand better why some chose surgery prior to RT but I know that surgery is something that we want to do as a last resort.

Again, thanks for all who have paved the road before us! I am working on getting the information correct on my signature so that everyone will know our plight with each post, so bear with me as I add and delete!

God Bless,

Hey Folks!

What's happening with treatment thus far ? Just checking on current developments is all......

Keep the faith!
JT2