IN DECEMBER I HAD A LARGE MASS GROWING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE OF MY NECK. MY ENT STATED THAT IT WAS A CALCIFICATION GROWING INSIDE MY SALIVARY GLAND AND THAT IT NEEDED SURGERY. DECEMBER 21, I UNDERWENT SURGERY FOR IT. WHEN THE ENT OPENED HE REALIZED THAT I HAD ABNORMAL CELLS THERE. HE REMOVED 7 LYMPH NODES AND 4 WERE POSITIVE FOR CANCER, ALSO THE MARGINS WERE NOT CLEAN. I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH UNDIFFERENTIATED LARGE CELL SALIVARY GLAND CARCINOMA. STAGE 4 WITH VASCULAR INVASION. I JUST FINISHED (TWO WEEKS AGO) 33 SESSIONS OF RADIATION AND 2 SESSIONS DIVIDED INTO 2 SESSIONS EACH OF CHEMO (CYSPLATIN). AT SLONE KETTERING MY CASE WAS PRESENTED TO A TEAM OF DR'S REGARDING A NECK DISSECTION AND THE OPINIONS WERE NOT CLEAR. SO THEY LEFT IT UP TO ME. AT THAT TIME I DECLINED IT, AS IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS NOT MUCH INFORMATION REGARDING MY TYPE OF CANCER. I WAS WONDERING IF I SHOULD GET A SECOND OPINION SOMEWHERE ELSE. IF I SHOULD HAVE THE ND OR WHAT SHOULD I DO. THE CHEMO AND THE RADIATION WERE ROUGH BUT I FEEL THAT I HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO CURE MYSELF. HOWEVER I DON'T HAVE MUCH INFORMATION TO GO ABOUT AS THE DR'S AT SLOANE DON'T HAVE MUCH INFO TO GIVE ME.

coquito,

If the Tumor Board at Sloan could not advise you I don't see how we could be your next opinion other than to say get a second QUALIFIED opinion and hope for the answers you are looking for.

Good luck and keep us posted.

I would go see Ken Hu and Mark Urken at Beth Israel. They are the best RO/surgical team in NY. Good luck.