Geez, I'm notorious!!!

BRM, yep I started out with SCC lateral tongue, and several lymph nodes on the left side involved. Had surgery, removing the primary on the tongue, and about 27 nodes on left side. Several showed positive, so had radiaton/chemo for left side. On 6 month checkup Pet/CT scan showed lymph node involvement on right side. Had second neck dissection/program of radiation/chemo. Finished that up last May, back to work in June, just returned from short home leave to U.S.

Follow up scan in Sept showed no residual cancer, so far so good.

Thing is, just because the cancer showed up on the opposite side, doesn't mean there has to be a second primary. This particular cancer has a tendency to move around, and some oncologists do radiation to both sides of the neck to help prevent the spread of the disease, even though only one side had involved lymph nodes. I'm not a lymphatic system anatomy expert, but from what I've read, this seems logical.

Also, even if there is involvment on the opposite side, and there's no second primary, doesn't mean a poor prognosis. Thing is to catch and get rid of the second involvement as thoroughly as possible.

Main thing is to keep positive and keep fighting.

I've been through this twice, doing well, sitting here in some God-forsaken Communist country eating McNuggets and McApple pies for lunch and slowly getting fat. Or at least to a reasonable weight.

And planning my retirement.

Keep hope and faith.
Bob S.

SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.