Mark,

I think about this from time to time when I have a new symptom that seems as though it could be radiation-related. Since my treatment was 16 years ago, it obviously wasn't IMRT, and I had brachytherapy on top of the external beam stuff.

Apart from the continuing dry mouth issues (which aren't as bad as they used to be), the only things that have developed that my doctors think could be after-effects are: 1) some degeneration in the cervical spine that I guess is a form of arthritis, and 2) a very small basal cell skin cancer (removed within the past month) near my jaw line.

In other words -- thankfully, not much to complain about.

Cathy

Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989