#44926 05-12-2005 03:26 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 50 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 50 | Hi everyone. I have a concern which I'm going to express tomorrow with my husband's radiation therapy physician. He received chemo and radiation first week of treatment and he looked great! Neck swelling went down remarkably. Overnight prior to starting the second week his neck has swelled up again and is very hard. I know that radiation causes redness of skin and dryness of mouth, but does it cause increased swelling and hardness of tissues as well? He looks way worse and I'm really concerned.
Any first hand info would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Virginia
wife to Doug, stage IV base of tongue cancer with mets to lymph nodes bilaterally
Virginia
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#44927 05-13-2005 01:11 AM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 | Virginia,
I had increasing amounts of swelling as I went through radiation, and it took many months after the end of treatment to subside. For a time, I thought I would spend the rest of my life with the bullfrog look, but eventually it went away.
Cathy
Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989
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#44928 05-13-2005 10:11 AM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 50 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 50 | Dear Cathy,
Thank you so much for the info. We spoke with the radiation doctor and he said that Doug has an infection going on so we went to the otolanygologist who said that this was most likely caused by tissue necrosis from radiation. It caused a collection of purulent fluid to collect in his neck, causing increased swelling and reddness (like a cellulitis). Anyway, he's on antibiotics so hopefully this will help. I appreciate this website so much as it is a way to find out what others have experienced as well as for others to read these postings to know what people who have experienced this disease firsthand have gone through. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Virginia
Virginia
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#44929 05-13-2005 03:24 PM | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 | Hi All, Have a question. My neck a hard not near
the scar. Does anyone have that after 15 years?
It has been painfull.
Cathy
Cathy
SCCA Stage IV diagnosed 01/90
base of tongue with 1/2 removed.
With neck resection, radiation and chemo
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#44930 05-16-2005 06:40 AM | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Hi Cathy,
Is this something new? What does the doctor say?
Take care,
Eileen
----------------------
Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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#44931 05-16-2005 11:50 AM | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 | Yes, Haven't seen the Doc yet.
Cathy
Cathy
SCCA Stage IV diagnosed 01/90
base of tongue with 1/2 removed.
With neck resection, radiation and chemo
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#44932 05-17-2005 06:19 AM | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Hurts is not good, regardless of what it is. 'Get thee to the doc' ASAP.
Take care,
Eileen
----------------------
Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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#44933 05-17-2005 07:09 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Cathy
You should know better by now, heed Eileen get there yesterday.. Oh by the way try not to worry.
Sunshine.. love and hugs
Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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#44934 05-17-2005 12:28 PM | Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 206 | Thanks guys, I'm going this week.
Cathy
PS I'm homebound so not easy to get out.
Cathy
SCCA Stage IV diagnosed 01/90
base of tongue with 1/2 removed.
With neck resection, radiation and chemo
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#44935 06-19-2005 09:44 AM | Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 81 Senior Member (75+ posts) | | Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 81 | Hi Virginia,
Started posting June 16, so I'm new at this but not to cancer. Had 36 rad treatments Mar-May 04. Noticed fluid seeping from neck. Sounds like what you had. ENT said it was cellulitis infection, painfully drained it, kept me in hospital for 3 days and went on antobiotic augmentin for two weeks. Had to pack 3 times a day for a month. Developed it again to a lesser degree in oct 04. Augmentin cleared it up-no recurrence. Have hardness in areas of neck dissection. ENT held up therapy until Dec 04. Started stretching neck twice daily, massage twicw a day with cocoa butter and use Roxicet at bedtime. This hardness is called fibrosis due to rad. Main thing is, gotta keep exercising the neck. Also heard that a drug called pentoxyfilline (PTX) used with Vit E helps. Haven't tried and ENT never heard of it. Maybe your's has. I'd inquire. Hope this helps and God Bless you in your struggle.
Jim | | |
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