 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 624 | Tami-- Your mom has already had more treatment than most of the folks receiving chemoradiation -- where 33 treatments of total 66 Gy seems to be the norm (it is at Hopkins). And this is for Stages III and IV. Most receive 3 cycles of chemo if they are getting cisplatin, not 4. Was she ever a smoker? If not, has her tumor been tested for human papilloma virus? This typically presents in tonsil and base of tongue (may met to nodes) and has a much better prognosis and response to treatment. Most of the docs here at Hopkins do not feel my husband will need further treatment (read surgery) after he completes his chemoradiation on Sept. 26. In any case they would do follow-up scans at one month before even considering anything more. (He is HPV-16 positive). Gail
CG to husband Barry, dx. 7/21/05, age 66, SCC rgt. tonsil, BOT, 2 nodes (stg. IV), HPV+, tonsillectomy, 7x carboplatin, 35x tomoTherapy IMRT w/ Ethyol @ Johns Hopkins, thru treatment 9/28/05, HPV vaccine trial 12/06-present. Looking good!
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