 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | The side effects are fairly intense but manageable. The data from other types of cancer suggest a significant improvement in the 5 year survival rate where Cisplatin is used as an adjunct to radiation (I have read numbers as high as an additional 15%). I am a little surprised by the surgeons attitude. Tongue cancers tend to be very aggressive and I am confused that he wouldn't want to hit it with all of the weapons available. It sounds to me like the radiation is the primary form of treatment and I would go with the RO and Oncologists advice if it were me. He needs to decide quickly. Cisplatin has to be administered every three weeks and usually started the first day of radiation for maximum effectiveness.
Recurrences are always bad news - it is far better to be aggressive as possible from the beginning.
What was his staging? Is he going to a comprehensive cancer center?
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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