#41417 06-24-2007 09:44 PM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 12 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 12 | thanks everyone. I'm pleased to say that my partner has really reduced his amount of drinking from 3/4 a bottle a day to 3 drinks of spirits or 4 or 5 beers. A huge improvement. I hope he keeps it up.
Partner diagnosed with low grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma of sublingual gland, 2nd opinion graded intermediate grade, surgery to remove,lymph nodes removed one side, nodes all clear. Treatment - radiation.
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#41418 06-30-2007 04:46 PM | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 214 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 214 | I just completed chemo and radiation for stage 2 tonsil cancer caused by HPV virus. My doctor said absolutely NO alcohol EVER AGAIN. Alcohol is a carcinogen
Left tonsil SCC, HPV+. T2N0M0. Tonsillectomy 3-07, bilateral radiation, cisplatin 3x, Tx completed 6-06. Clear PET 4-01-2008.
Thyroidectomy 5-9-08, resulting in permanent surgically-induced hypoparathyroidism and adrenal problems. Bummer.
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#41419 07-01-2007 09:53 AM | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | Aside from the fact that alcohol is a causative factor, and the fact that it will HURT when he gets those mouth sores, I just want to point out that if he is taking prescription pain meds, those are very dangerous to mix with alcohol. What would normally be a small amount of alcohol that he could handle is amplified by the pain meds and the combination can shut down the brainstem in a very short time span and be literally deadly. Please please be careful about this.
Nelie
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
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#41420 07-02-2007 02:04 AM | Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 294 | If radiation has the same effect on his taste buds as it has mine, you won't have to worry. The first sip of beer I took a few weeks after treatment had to be spit out. It tasted as though it was full of sugar. Now, almost one full year post Tx it still tastes that way and the same goes for wine. No great loss for me though as I was a very seldom drinker at best. I just miss having a Tecate with my Mexican food. It's just ice water for me now. Good luck with the crisis.
Bill D.
Dx 4/27/06, SCC, BOT, Stage III/IV, Tx 5/25/06 through 7/12/06 - 33 IMRT and 4 chemo, radical right side neck dissection 9/20/06.
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#41421 07-02-2007 02:28 AM | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 624 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 624 | Alcohol during treatment is going to really really HURT!! Why do you think the doctors tell you to use only alcohol-free mouth washes etc. during treatment? It will irritate and prevent the damaged tissues from healing. It will exacerbate those mouth sores. Also, if your partner was a heavy drinker prior to diagnosis, the alcohol may well have been a contributory factor in his cancer. If he is depressed and anxious then his doctors may well want to prescribe an anti-anxiety medication -- many on this forum (in USA) were given Ativan (not sure equivalent in Aus). But (as Nelie posted) many of these drugs should never be taken with alcohol! Excessive alcohol use is a causative factor in some oral cancers, but not all. My husband had an HPV+ cancer and his MO told him that he could drink in moderation (in social occasions) once his throat healed. Alcohol was not a factor in his disease. He (and I) drink 4 oz. of red wine every other day as we are both on a Mediterrean diet. BUT -- anyone who has a drinking problem, (whether they choose to admit it or not) must not drink again. This is a health issue beyond oral cancer -- it will kill you in the end. I would strongly suggest that he speak with counselor or psychologist at the hospital about getting help for this as well. Gail
CG to husband Barry, dx. 7/21/05, age 66, SCC rgt. tonsil, BOT, 2 nodes (stg. IV), HPV+, tonsillectomy, 7x carboplatin, 35x tomoTherapy IMRT w/ Ethyol @ Johns Hopkins, thru treatment 9/28/05, HPV vaccine trial 12/06-present. Looking good!
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#41422 07-02-2007 07:01 PM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 64 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 64 | This is a great reply from Gail, but I want to mention one more thing. We have had people here with comapnions that put the alcohol in their PEG tubes... dependencecy, addiction, what ever you want to call it, needs to be addressed and it can't usually be done cold turkey emotionally at a high stress time like this except though fear. For those that does not work on, the relief that they get from alcohol has to be dealt with/substituted through other meds like Gail suggested until their emotional issues can be brought under control.
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.
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#41423 07-10-2007 02:58 PM | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 32 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 32 | Considering that he will probably be prescribed morphine and other serious pain meds, I would really try and get him to discuss his addiction issues with his health care providers. The last thing you want is him replacing vodka with narcotics to dull his emotional pains. I know there was more than one night that I was tempted to just swig down a whole bottle of roxicete, and it was only my optimism and drive that prevented this...the same things that keep me from being an alcoholic. | | |
#41424 07-27-2007 05:26 PM | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 57 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: May 2006 Posts: 57 | I've seen my husband go through the horrors of tonsil cancer on top of alcoholism.
He completed treatment in November 02, and continued drinking until July of 04. Although he obtained remission, and continues to smoke, I can't help but think that it was very detrimental to his health.
Another suspicious spot has presented itself close to his initial tumor. We are presently awaiting results of his most recent biopsy.
Love,
Mandi
Stage III tonsil, Dx 8/14/2002,chemo and rad...reoccurance 8/3/07,Base of Tongue,vocal cords,stage IVA,total larynectomy and glossectomy 9/4/07 with pec flap...reoccurance Nov. '08 and Feb. '09 (positive margins remained after each operation) Second pec flap May 7, 2009. Still positive margins.
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#41425 07-27-2007 05:56 PM | Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2006 Posts: 583 | I really am happy to say: I am CANCER FREE today! More than anything I am SMOKE FREE for ever !! How many times those of us that smoked wished we could quite. My cancer sure helped me out with that! Nothing like quitting the hard way. It is my understanding that abusive drinking will only work against you in the long run. Well thats my 2 cents worth.  Take care, Diane
2004 SCC R.tip 1/4 tongue Oct. 2005 R. Neck SCC cancer/Chemo Cisplatin 2x/8wks. Rad. Removed Jugular vein, Lymph gland & some neck muscle. TX finished 1/20/06... B.Cancer 3/29/07 Finished 6/07 Bi-op 7/15/09 SCC in-situ, laser surgery removed from 1st. sight. Right jaw replacement 11/3/14. 9 yrs cancer free as of Jan. 2015
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