Hi folks, ENT Doctor comfirmed a vocal cord lesion this date after doing a scope. Had been checked twice since December, the other guys did not find the lesion. We have a biopsy set for March 2. The new Doc did not seem concerned. He advise it was white with red border. I guess we will know next week. God I hate this waiting game. Anyhow, I am proud to be a part of the group. You all have my admiration. Regardless of how this turns out I will be praying for each and every one of you. Regards, Robert

Why the long wait for a biopsy? If it is something bad, time is always of the essence when dealing with cancer. Try to get it moved up, for your health both physically and mentally.

Robert. I agree with Brian. Time seems to be the only advantage you can give to yourself, whether it's cancer or not, you need to know so you can start making informed decisions. I hope i'ts not, but if it is, this site & these people will be here for you.

I want to thank the both of you for the response. This whole thing is weird. In mid December I was seen by a GP who advised it was a viral infection. I was placed on steroids and Claritin D. It improved over the next week. Main problem was hoarseness. However, the hoarseness returned once off the medication. Next I saw a ENT Doc who with a mirror checked the voice box. He found swelling and redness but NO lesion. Same conclusion "viral infection". The lesion was found Thursday 2/19 by another ENT doc. This guy was hung up on how tough the insurance company was to deal with. He put me on antibiotics and was going to have me back in 2 weeks. The third ENT who I saw yesterday scoped me on the first visit. He verified the lesion. Seems the first avaliable appointment for the surgical center where the biopsy will be done is March 2. I am going to take your advice and ask that the appointment be moved up. Thanks agin for the response.

Robert

Robert -- I'll chime in too with encouragment to get your appointment moved up. It can happen if you throw your weight around enough...

My wife is one of those bulldog types and she was an amazing advocate for me the day I was diagnosed with SCC back in October. THey were going to do a C-T scan in a week, and do this and that at a later date, etc. But after my wife worked her magic and charms (and refused to hear that it couldn't be done sooner), I had a ton of stuff done that very day...

Sometimes you have to be a bulldog on these things but it is your health and your life. You are worth it even if you ruffle some feathers...

I am sorry for the long delay in the update. I had a SCC in situ of the left true vocal cord. The ENT is treating it with vocal cord stripping. He may have to do this three more times at three month intervals. I wondered why so many strippings and he advised it was for voice preservation. Also it seems radiation is really tough in the neck area. I know many of the board members have had to endure the radiation treatments. I guess I am lucky it staged at 0. However I do wonder if he is being aggressive enough. Robert

I personally would prefer aggressive treatment. I had a lesion on my tongue, the Dr. said lets just get the lesion and no radiation, because it is still small. The next week after the surgery on my tongue I went in for a check. I told the Dr. that the nodes on the same side needed checking. He said no no no that's just infection from the surgery. I told him I wanted them out the nodes were hard and I didn't feel good about them. I was told he removed 5, 3 were cancer. I went with chemo, and radiation. I may not have needed any treatment, but I want have to look back and wish I had taken it. I am 3 years out this month. Everyone is different, I believe my doctor looked at me because of not smoking or drinking and decided I would be ok without the aggresive treatment. I have to keep bothering him to get the treatment I think I need. Question for everyone how often should I get a chest x-ray and how often and what kind of scans. In the 3 years I have had only 1 of each. 1 chest x-ray and 1 scan.

Question, what is the SCC in situ? I know it sounds dumb but I have never understood the in situ part? Thanks, Carol

Joan,
My husband is four years post treatment and we go once a year now for chest xray, head & neck CT and blood work. AFter treatment we went every three months for two years, then every six months for a year and now once a year. Everyone is different though.

Hi Joan,
The NCCN practice guidelines are for an annual chest x-ray and 6 month bloodtest for TSH. They don't mention any other types of scans - that would probably depend on the patients particular case and the doctor (and the willingness of the insurance company or HMO to pay for it). My doctors have told me repeatedly that the visual/palpation exam is the "gold standard".

There are specific guidelines for exam frequency:
year 1 - 1-3 months
year 2 - 2-4 months
year 3-5 4-6 months
year 5+ 6-12 months
This applies to all stages.

"In situ" means "in position", localized".

Thanks Gary, so I assume that is a good thing?

Sorry, probably posted in wrong place again! Carol

"Localized" is always "good"! Sometimes they also use terms like "well differentiated". It means that it doesn't appear to have spread.

We did kind of hijack Roberts thread but it is related and of possible interest so I wouldn't worry about it.

Thanks Gary, don't know if it is age (46) or radiation brain, can't remember things, I know I have been told about the in situ before. Thanks so much, have a great day!

As my ENT explained, in situ refers to the location of the cancer in the pathologists examination. In situ, in short, means the cancer was only in the upper layer of cells or the epithelium (surface cells) and is called cancer in situ or cancer in place. This is typically the first stage of carcinomas. However, this does not indicate the cancer has not spread. Squamous Cell Carcinoma sends out thousands of cells throughout the body in the lymph fluid and the blood. For whatever reasons, some of the cells tend to attach and immediately start reproducing versus flushing out of the body through normal processing. I had a biopsy of SCC in situ for the tumor at the base of my tongue. However, and this is very important to know, I had metastatic cancer appear in 2 lymph nodes that then put me in Stage IV. One lymph node was the size of my thumb for 6-8 months while I went from doctor to doctor trying to bend an ear. I eventually went to a plastic surgeon on my own and asked to have it removed. It was so liquid filled and full of what he thought was puss that he just biopsied it and sewed me back up. His initial guess was that I had TB. It came back with a pathology of metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma. I then went to an ENT and the PET/CT scan showed not only the tumor on the base of my tongue but also two lymph nodes indicating metastatic cancer.

The ENT was still baffled by the second biopsy he performed when they placed my mediport, feeding tube and pulled my back molars in preparation of treatment. The pathologist report came back as Squamous Cell Carcinoma in situ. He made it a point to tell me that most people believe in situ to indicate an early stage cancer when in fact this is not always the case, especially with Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Even though I had a somewhat slow growing version of SCC, I am lucky to have found it before it spread more.

Ed

Carcinoma in situ IS the very first level of the staging system for tumors. This starts with TX, cannot be assed

I remember the doctor kept saying, "I don't understand how this can be..." over and over. I just smiled and said one can never underestimate the power of prayer and told him thousands of people all over the world had been praying for me regularly. There really is no other explanation. I did spend some time on the phone with someone that used distant healing summoning the Universe to allow me to heal. I also used some Chinese herbs that were concocted by a Taiwanese MD who is an accupuncturist in Dallas. He claims to not be the best in the world...only in the USA! I guess I pulled it out of every nook and cranny I could imagine. I even spent time with a Reiki Master (my older sister). I don't know for sure which channel helped me but I sure didn't give up on my multi-disciplinary approach, huh? How's that for some more stirring of the controversial pot?


Ed

Thank You Brian and Ed.....Carol

Oh, I forgot to mention the o-mamuri my aunt had blessed by the buddhist monks at the Narita-ken temple in Chiba Japan. I would be more than happy to provide any of the phone numbers or names if anyone wants to try something unconventional to supplement their treatment.

Ed

Hey folks I sure do appreciate your responses. Don't worry about hijacking my post. I spend most of my time educating myself about this disease. In Situ, I had to hit the net and look that one up after the post op visit. Brian and all of you who took the time to share your experience and wisdom it is much appreciated.

Uptown kind of hit on my concerns. I had a bump come up in the hard pallet area. It is sore to the touch. ENT looked it over today and advised it was an infected salivary gland. Now I hit him up about all of these strippings. If there is regrowth after two more of these strippings then we do radiation. The first one was done March 2. There is a partial regrowth. Apparently this is the preferred method as the lesion was localized on the true left vocal cord. However Balancing Brian's comments and Uptown I believe I will seek a second opinion. It took me going through two local ENT for them to even find the lesion.( See my first post). I think I will contact a coworkers ENT and get his input. Thanks again everybody. Robert

Thanks everyone for the input on in situ.. has helped me accept the advice of the docs for agressive surgery for me.. so I will some more qestions for them on Monday
love and hugs
Helen