| Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | Kelly please try not to think negatively until you have all the answers drs. Have been wrong many times before. Get your second opinion for sure. And wait for your biopsy results! Prayers and hugs to you!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 571 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 571 | Hi Kelly, We have two letters sent certified mail to us by his RO saying that my ex-husband's PET scan showed bilateral mets to his neck from an unknown primary and that he needed to be in radiation therapy or he would die. Well, had they biopsied the areas, they would have found out it was a residual problem from his throat infection. His latest scan was clear. PETs light up lots of stuff--a friend had ribs that had been broken years earlier and they were still lighting up on his PET. Thankfully, his doctor asked a few questions before he diagnosed them as distant lung mets.
I know of two survivors whose caregivers are regular posters here who were sent home with only the hope of palliative care. They now have no evidence of disease--one of them for over two years.
Get a second opinion, or however many you need to feel like you have done everything you can do.
It is hard sometimes not to, but, please do not lose hope.
I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers for you to be cancer-free.
Ex-spouse MISDIAGNOSED with SCC-HN IVa 12/10. Tonsils out 1/11. 4 teeth out 2/11. TX Erbitux x2, IMRT x2 2/11. 2nd opinion-benign BCC-NOT CANCER 3/11. TX stopped 3/11. New doctors 4/11. ENT agrees with 2nd opinion 5/11. ENT scoped him-all clear 7/11. Ordered MRI anyway. MRI 8/22/11 Result-all clear.
| | | | Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 531 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 531 | Well Ron was told he had signs of mets to the lungs a spot was showing up as well as his spots on his jaw area that he had to have his second operation, but he never went to see the thoracic surgeon yet, he wanted to of course concentrate on the big surgery he had coming up. So we will see what happens when he gets his next PET scan. I'm also hoping it hasn't changed cuz he did have double pneumonia back in 2005 or before or after can't remember he's been thru so much crap. So prayers yours is not cancer!
CG to Ron Out of Pain 4/3/13 4/12-lung and under chin growth no treatment 1/13/12 lung biopsy 6/11 recur 6/30 resection #2 Clear margins Clear 12/10 Surg 5/13/10 neck dis/nodes part gloss/flap R thigh all teeth out RAD 30 8/10 DX 4/2/10 "Oral Cavity" T3NOMO 12/28/07 Non Hodg Lymph remission 7/08 passed away 4.3.15, RIP Ron, you are greatly missed
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 701 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 701 Likes: 1 | Kelly,
I am so sorry that you are facing this scary turn. Clark has been followed by a lung specialist because his PETs lit up as well. His lungs light up from infection and inflammation due to aspiration. I send you peace and comfort and big hugs. My best to you-
Anita
Anita (68) CG to husband, Clark, 79, DX SCC 11/07, T4N0Mx, PEG 1/08, RAD, post rad infection 3/08, HBOT 40 dives, ORN, Surg 11/09 mandibulectomy w/fibular graft. Plastic Surg 4/10, 12/10, 3/11, 10/11, 4/12, 10/12. All PETS clear, PEG out 1/11. 6/11 non union jaw fracture Fractured jaw w/surgery 7/14 Aspiration pneumonia 7/21, 10/22 PEG 7/21 Botox injections
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Biopsy on node in neck is positive for SCC. Trying to getbiopsy on lungs ASAP. May be Tuesday if all goes well. After that heading to MD Anderson for second opinion.
Kelly Male 48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt., Stage 1, T3n0m0, Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09 04-20-10 NED 8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b 10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly 3-12-12 PET - residual cancer 4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux 6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR 12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
| | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 26 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 26 | Glad you are going to md Anderson. We are treating metastasis to bone and get a pet scan at the end of September. Hoping we have slowed it, shrunk it, or made it disappear. Not giving up this fight easily. Hopefully, md Anderson will give you ammunition to keep on fighting! Prayers for you, Robinleigh
Robin, caregiver to husband, Andy (57 yo non-smoker) 1/2011 dx scc stage 4 -primary- tonsil/bot 2/2011 surgery/rnd/ imrt rad/ 3 cycles cisplatin 6/2011 recurrence - mets to bone 7/2011 tx carbo/erbitux/5 FU- pet showed disease progression 11/2011- present clinical trial
| | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 | Sent you a PM please let me know if you need my help with what I proposed.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | "OCF Down Under" Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 453 | Hi Kelly, I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I'm writing today to hopefully offer you some inspiration. My husband was diagnosed over 2 years ago with Stage IV oral cancer. It was in his tongue, anchoring his tongue to the floor of his mouth, a couple of lymph nodes and also his jaw bone. We got 2 opinions and both hospitals gave the same prognosis "no surgery, too extensive. Only hope is to prolong his life, not cure, but we are looking at 6-12 months". But my husband Steve faught the biggest battle of his life. He was diagnosed a couple of weeks before his 43rd birthday. I'm happy to say he is now 2 years NED. He passed the 2 year anniversary of his tx completion last month.
What I'm trying to say is never give up hope. The doctor's will always tell you the statistics, as we were told. But you and my husband Steve aren't statistics. It is possible to prove them wrong. All the best to you Kelly. My thoughts are with you. You can get through this.
Wendy
Wife to Steve 43. DX 5 May 09. T4N2MO SCC tongue, floor of mouth, lymph nodes & jaw bone No surgery Teeth removed 06/07/2009 radiation 13/07/2009 x 7wks chemo 15/07/2009 x 3 Cisplatin last TX 28/08/2009 25/11/2009 PET-lymph node activity. 08/01/2010 CT Scan-ALL CLEAR 03/03/2010-Peg removed 01/2013 left side of Jaw removed and replaced with pectoral flap. 23/12/2020 scan show lesion in tongue 01/2021 SCC stage 3 base of tongue diagnosed 01/03/2021 chemotherapy started.
| | | | Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 | Wendy, perhaps you have given a biggest example and motivation to Kelly by citing this personal example. Father; 67 yrs; RIP: 2012/05/26
TX:SCC pT2N1M0G2;Glossectomy+SND+CCRT(59.3Gy+6xCis.)[2009] TX:Nodal Mets; 3xDCF[2011/05/05] TX: RND + PMMC Flap[2011/07/11] DX:SCC PNI+ECE TX:Re-RT 60Gy[2011/09/21] TX:Gefitinib 250mg[2011/12/18]
| | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 618 | Thanks Wendy,
I am scheduling meetings with MD Anderson in Houston and The University of Michigan. Spending most of today making sure all the relevant records get there ASAP.
I have heard one to many stories from those who have been told to go home and die (REFUSED THAT IDEA)and are alive today, to give up now.
You and Steve will serve as an additional inspiration to me as all of my family here do on a daily basis.
Kelly Male 48, SCC (Soft Palet) Rt., Stage 1, T3n0m0, Dx, 8-09, Start IMRT 35 9-2-09 end 10-21-09 04-20-10 NED 8-11 recurrence, node rt. neck N2b 10-11 33 IMRT w/chemo wkly 3-12-12 PET - residual cancer 4-12 5 treatments with Cyberknife & Erbitux 6-19-12 Pet scan CLEAR 12-3-12 PET - CLEAR
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