| | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 | Hi there,
Realistically what can I expect in terms of working during rads treatment? What was your experience? Thanks.
Stage 1 tongue carcinoma in 1999 and again in 2001, removed surgically. Stage II tongue carcinoma in 2012, surgery, neck dissection, flap from forearm, trach (removed in hospital before leaving). Finished 30 rad tx on 11/28/12.
Jessica, age 38
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 Likes: 1 | Hey Curly
While I must preface everyone is different and your mileage may vary, I worked all but the last week of my IMRT treatment. I had the standard 7 weeks but I was stopped after week 4 for 2 weeks to heal a bit.
Hope that helps !
Kevin
18 YEAR SURVIVOR
SCC Tongue (T3N0M0) diag 06/2006.
No evidence of disease 2010
Another PET 12-2014 pre-HBO, still N.E.D.
�Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. It matters that you don't just give up.�
Stephen Hawking | | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 | Thanks Kevin - helps alot!
Stage 1 tongue carcinoma in 1999 and again in 2001, removed surgically. Stage II tongue carcinoma in 2012, surgery, neck dissection, flap from forearm, trach (removed in hospital before leaving). Finished 30 rad tx on 11/28/12.
Jessica, age 38
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 | Hi, Curly,
Keep in mind that everybody is different. There is no way that I could have worked at all during my treatments. I had surgery, 38 radiation treatments and three of the heavy doses of cisplatin. I was fortunate, however, that I had a ton of sick leave saved, because until I got cancer I was never sick. My cancer was also stage IV. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. You might breeze right through it.
Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 71 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 71 | I worked till the 5th week, the 4th and 5th week worked from home (on computer) I am in my 6th week and the RAD tx have begun to show, would not like to be working now. (on vac and then STD)
9 more rads and 1 more chemo.
(kevin, I am in Fayette county, work in Memphis)
large lymph node Left Neck around May 22 2012
ENT June 6, did needle Biopsy - Negative
ENT CT scan July 9 - Negative
Remove lymph node July 26, DX - SSC - T1N2aM0
PET Aug 7, BOT
Aug 14, endoscopy, 1cm - clear margin HPV+
TX 33 IMRT - 6 Chemo - Taxol/Carboplatin
TX chemo 09/04/12 RAD 09/05/12
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Hi Curly - for me it got bad probably after 2 weeks. If you'd told me then that I had to do anything at all except drive myself to treatment and come home and collapse afterward I would have been very cross with you.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | OP Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 47 | Thanks so much. I have no idea what to expect, hoping to work as long as I can.
Stage 1 tongue carcinoma in 1999 and again in 2001, removed surgically. Stage II tongue carcinoma in 2012, surgery, neck dissection, flap from forearm, trach (removed in hospital before leaving). Finished 30 rad tx on 11/28/12.
Jessica, age 38
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | Hi, Curly
my husband worked most of the way through therapy on radiation but not chemo + radiation days. He took the final week of therapy and the first half week thereafter off. I drove him to and from therapy/work when he was on narcotics for pain - that was about the last two weeks of therapy and about a week after.
Working is good from a morale standpoint BUT don't overdo. You need to rest and recover from being blasted with chemicals and radiation. Your main job, at this point, is to complete your therapy with no drama!
Maria
Last edited by Maria; 10-09-2012 02:06 PM. Reason: typos
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker
First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010
TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab
PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Curly,
A lot depends on the person and the Tx they are undergoing and even the type of work they are doing. Need more info from you re your Tx.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | Davidcpa makes a good point. My husband is fortunate to have a lot of flexibility in his schedule, and does not generally have to do physically strenuous work.
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker
First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010
TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab
PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
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