| | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP  Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 | Went to the oncologist today and she was not happy that I am still anemic when I finished treatment Jan. 22nd. She wants me to have a bone marrow biopsy. Anyone know anything about that? Do you think she thinks it has spread or what? I'm not too keen in getting one since I watched a video on u-tube of one but if it's completely necessary....
BOT-SCC Partial glossectomy 7/16/09.
Stage IV, Rt ND 10/2/09.
Teeth out 11/5/09.
Port/peg in, 11/20/09.
7 wks rad & chemo, end 1/22/10
lung, colon biopsies 1/9/11 - both cancer
colon resect surg 1/10/11
Folfox + Avastin - discontinued 6/11
lung surgery 3/13/12, 5/1/12
mets to liver and bones
passed away 9/4/13
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Barbara, havent heard of that before. My blood levels have never returned to what they were pre cancer in 2007. Who knows what the docs reasoning is. Dont let utube scare you. To me those procedures are better left being unknown. Please keep us updated on this.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 551 | Bloop, I've had a bone marrow biopsy, two actually. I probably am not the right person to talk to since my hip bone is or was, apparently, incredible hard so it was pretty awful. Most patients don't have such a difficult time of it though. Have you been adding sources of iron to your diet? (I'll assume you have, but figured I'd ask anyway!) This sounds unpleasant all around  - Margaret
Stage IV SCC lt lateral tongue, surgery 5/19/08 (partial gloss/upper neck dissection left side/radial free flap reconstruction) IMRT w/weekly Cisplatin & Erbitux 6/30/08, PEG 1 6/12/08 - out 7/14 (in abdominal wall, not stomach), PEG 2 7/23/08 - out 11/20/08, Tx done 8/18/08
Second SCC tumor, Stage 1, rt mobile tongue, removed 10/18/2016, right neck dissection 12/9/2016
Third SCC tumor, diagnosed, 4/19/2108, rt submandibular mass, HPV-, IMRT w/ weekly Cisplatin, 5/9 - 6/25/2018, PEG 3 5/31/2018
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 | The only thing she (my oncologist) told me to do for now was take multiple vitamins. I bought Boost and am drinking that too. She just says that a bone marrow biopsy is how she can find out why I'm not going up from 9 on the anemia scale. I was 7.6 at one time and she sent me for a blood transfusion which put me up to 9 at the time, but it is still 9 nine months later.
BOT-SCC Partial glossectomy 7/16/09.
Stage IV, Rt ND 10/2/09.
Teeth out 11/5/09.
Port/peg in, 11/20/09.
7 wks rad & chemo, end 1/22/10
lung, colon biopsies 1/9/11 - both cancer
colon resect surg 1/10/11
Folfox + Avastin - discontinued 6/11
lung surgery 3/13/12, 5/1/12
mets to liver and bones
passed away 9/4/13
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | My iron was low, and my oncologist told me to just take iron, and take it on an empty stomach so my body would absorb more of it. My last appointment, my iron has gone up. I took them in the morning right after I got up and before showering, and at night right before bed. You may want to try that. Anyway does not sound like fun.
Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 440 | My levels still aren't normal either, I think our bodies have just been through hell and it takes time.
I've helped with dozens and dozens of bone marrow biopsies, the key is the experience of the doctor and good premeds! Try not to get too anxious about it, you've been through alot that this might seem like a breeze.
Dx 3/27/09 @ 28 years old with High Grade MEC T4N2M0
Elizabeth, 33, mother of 3 girls (4,7, &8yrs old)
3 rds of chemo(Carbo/Taxol)
Rt Mandibulectomy, rt fibular flap,& rt ND with trach, picc,& g-tube.
30 rds of rads with weekly cisplatin
SCANS ALL CLEAR!
OCF Regional Coordinator of San Antonio Walk
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 138 | I am just getting where I don't even want to go to ANY doctors any more. I expect them to tell me I'm doing fine and they always find something wrong and another reason to stick me or cut another piece out of my mouth or just hurt me in various ways like shots in the belly and now this new biopsy. I used to like all my doctors, now I dread them.
BOT-SCC Partial glossectomy 7/16/09.
Stage IV, Rt ND 10/2/09.
Teeth out 11/5/09.
Port/peg in, 11/20/09.
7 wks rad & chemo, end 1/22/10
lung, colon biopsies 1/9/11 - both cancer
colon resect surg 1/10/11
Folfox + Avastin - discontinued 6/11
lung surgery 3/13/12, 5/1/12
mets to liver and bones
passed away 9/4/13
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 1,412 | Hey girl, I know what you mean. If it is not one thing it is always something else. None of the Drs seem to agree on what it could be.
Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
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