Hi Paul!

Thank you so much for your reply! Without kind humans like you who choose to share their knowledge and experience, it would certainly be difficult for someone like me to learn. So thanks once again!

I'll try to summarize your reply in points for my benefit and for the benefit of others who may find themselves in this spot:

• You had cancer in tonsils and bilateral lymph nodes for which you received chemo and chemo had a harsh response.
• 9 months later, you underwent IMRT: 70 Gy, 5days/week for 7 weeks, a total of 35 sessions.
• Before radiotherapy, you received a printout which had all the possible side effects, which I will ask the RO to do.
• Side effects experienced by you started approximately after 10 sessions, this varies from patient to patient and from the dose and frequency of radiation, intuitively I feel, this makes sense because every adjacent part/tissue should have an upper limit on the accidental dose that it receives, for example cells in salivary gland may have a limit of, say, X Gy and if the radiation dose exceeds X Gy that may affect the functionality of salivary glands. Similarly, the cells undergo cell cycle and in some phase of the cell cycle it might be more sensitive to radiation than in the other phase so frequency will also determine side effects.
• Side effects which one should look out for:
  • Dry mouth.
  • Hypothyroidism
  • Teeth requiring extra care.

I'll ask doctor about the feasibility of mouth guard, what does it look like? Is it like some material which covers all your teeth?

What is CC/CCC?

I have to visit the doctor on Monday to get dad's nasal feeding pipe removed. I'll make sure to ask all the relevant questions. Thanks Paul!

Kind regards