So, almost three years since the end of my treatment for SCC of the tonsil in Canada, I've just learned I have not so much a recurrence as a metastasis. Yep, same cancer (genotyped) has appeared on the inside edge of my left lung (lymph system, very close to my aorta) and I start chemo here in London tomorrow, all of 13 days since diagnosis. Cisplatin one night then 4 days of 5FU. Three 3-week cycles, then some radiation to polish it off, if all goes well. They'll keep me in the hospital for each 5-day drip.
I'm over the scared stage. This treatment is not expected to be as hard as last time. I have the best of care at a world-class cancer hospital (The Royal Marsden), gold-plated private medical insurance (on top of what the NHS offers), excellent support of family, friends and colleagues.
It's an instant Stage 4c due to the metastasis, is incredibly rare to the point that they don't really have viable statistics to refer to, and means I'll be in 'monitoring' for the rest of my life until they figure something new out. On the plus side, since it is the same cancer and has been most of three years from treatment, all indications are that it should be a 'soft' cancer, and responsive to treatment.
Not pretending this is going to be a walk in the park, but I think I know what I'm in for, and it almost cannot possibly be as hard as last time, down to location and treatment plan (chemo-based with radiation polish and targeting my chest rather than my face/throat, rather than radiation-based with chemo enhancement, targeting my face and throat!).
Looking back, I had a little pinchy pain 'deep in my left pecktoral muscle' some time late in 2012, which went away, then early in the new year this came back and got worse the next day, and sort of moved to the back of my shoulder. That was odd, and I couldn't really explain it, so saw my GP, who diagnosed likely viral pleurisy, which would run its course in 4-6 weeks. I also happened to see my Oncologist, who only because he could, and out of an excess of caution, ordered up a CT scan. Well, the CT scan showed a 'suspicious shadow' in my left lung, and the only thing for it was a needle biopsy of my left lung through my ribs (that was interesting), and a week later I learned that it is in fact a return of my original cancer, this being very very rare indeed, but not much of a doubt about it. Lucky me!
I actually feel fine at the moment, physical symptoms have in fact settled down to a minor ache in there if I take a deep breath, which if I didn't know what it was, wouldn't be causing me much concern. I may sing a different tune in a few weeks, and early summer is likely to be the worst, but only time will tell.
Emotionally I'm over the scared stage, the only difficult part is having to tell someone and seeing their reaction (that's very emotional). But for myself, oh well, lets get 'er done!
Be well, everybody!
-Seth
