Hello again,

Had my initial consult with my RTO, Dr. John Waldron, and the news was pretty good, all things considered:

> My case wasn't "too far advanced / was detected fairly early"
> The mass in my liver is a benign Hemangioma, and of no consequence
> The nodes ( 3 ), in my right lung, were very small ( too small to biopsy ), were not immediately an issue, and would be reassessed in 3 months.
> My oral cancer is P16 positive
> I may be a candidate / have the option of, having RT only, to try & minimize local toxicity, and the Tx. schedule might be reduced to 6 weeks instead of 7, by having more "double-dose" days.
> At this point, it appears I will be receiving RT to my left side only, sparing the right side any direct exposure to RT.

Dr. Waldron told me of a study ( NRG-HN002, which had "just closed" ) he was involved with, designed to compare the efficacy of RT only vs. RT/Chemo traditional therapy ( http://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret/...ments/ConneXions_2015_issue2_volume6.pdf ). Thus I have a big decision to make in the near future, after all consultation is complete, regarding my receiving RT / Chemotherapy, or RT only. Any thoughts on this issue? It is certainly keeping me up at night! I have still to consult with my Medical Oncologist on this issue. The idea of reducing local toxicity is very attractive, though the fear of "not getting it all" weighs heavy on me.

> My dental exam went well, with no need for extraction(s).
> My hearing was examined.

I'm back tomorrow for mask fitting, with the hope of beginning treatment in the first week of September.

We are leaning towards staying at "The Lodge" ( a local, HCN-sponsored housing facility for cancer patients ), as our commute times thus far have averaged 3.5 - 4 hours daily.

Regards,
Dan