|    |       Joined:  Jun 2013  Posts: 346 Likes: 3    Platinum Member (300+ posts)   |      OP      Platinum Member (300+ posts)    Joined:  Jun 2013  Posts: 346 Likes: 3  |    Anyone had this in treatment recently? I did search but did not see a whole lot of results. Is this standard? Besides the fact that what the doctor said does not match the information he handed me, it seems awfully unpleasant. I woukd like to know if anyone is using this and how it works and if it really does help preserve salivary gland function.        
Surgery 5/31/13 Tongue lesion, right side SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated T1N0 based on biopsy and scan Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes 12/2/13 follow-up with concerns 12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned 1/8/14 Port installed PEG installed Chemo and rads 2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June 2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia Fall 2017: HBOT Jan 18: oral surgery
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2  |    I had it and almost everyone I know started developing horrible reactions about halfway through radiation. I would get the shot and within 10 minutes I got red splotches all over and fever spiked up to 103-104. I was hospitalized 3 times and when we stopped it, everything was fine. I don't know if it helped or not. My saliva was around 60% until the left parotid quit working 8 years out.         
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days  radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.  Cervical Spinal Stenosis  01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy  01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jul 2012  Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Jul 2012  Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4  |    I never used it nor was it suggested. As Ed said, the side effects may be worse than the benefits for saliva. It is also used to protect the kidneys, I believe, and for tumor hypoxia, radioresistance, but may not be used widespread due to the toxicities. 
  Good luck         
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil  11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp  01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks 06/11 30 HBO 08/11 RND PNI 06/12 SND PNI LVI 08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy 10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux  10/13 SND 10/13 TBO/Angiograph 10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI 12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo 11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO 03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN 09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy 04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site  06/17 Heart Attack Stent  02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
 
 
 
 
 
     |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jun 2013  Posts: 346 Likes: 3    Platinum Member (300+ posts)   |      OP      Platinum Member (300+ posts)    Joined:  Jun 2013  Posts: 346 Likes: 3  |    Thank you both! This confirms my gut instinct.
  The doc had said it was a shot, but the papers he gave us referred to an IV pricedure. For a daily thing, that seemed pretty major. And the effects justvseemed nasty. I think I will decline this option for now.        
Surgery 5/31/13 Tongue lesion, right side SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated T1N0 based on biopsy and scan Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes 12/2/13 follow-up with concerns 12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned 1/8/14 Port installed PEG installed Chemo and rads 2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June 2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia Fall 2017: HBOT Jan 18: oral surgery
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jul 2012  Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Jul 2012  Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4  |    They can be given either way, 30 minutes prior to radiation, but the shots are said to have less side effects.         
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil  11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp  01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks 06/11 30 HBO 08/11 RND PNI 06/12 SND PNI LVI 08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy 10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux  10/13 SND 10/13 TBO/Angiograph 10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI 12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo 11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO 03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN 09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy 04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site  06/17 Heart Attack Stent  02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
 
 
 
 
 
     |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2  |    I had the shots. It was completely uneventful for 2-3 weeks and then the defecation hit the rotary oscillator until we stopped. It was initially used to protect the kidneys from radiation treatment.         
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days  radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.  Cervical Spinal Stenosis  01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy  01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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