My husband is 49 and has head and neck ca of unknown primary. He has had 15 RT and one dose of cisplatin Now they have stopped his treatment and want to do a neck disection because his neck has swelled up worse than it was. I am freaking out Has anyone been thru this He has never smoked or used tobacco [/LIST]

goodmorning lauriern,
I too am 49,I had a neck dissection in Jan. I did not have the symptoms that your husband has. I do know that a neck dissection sounds worse than it is I was able to bounce back fairly quickly, you can hardly see the scar (59 stiches)I am still very numb on my neck and cheek as well as my ear, my skin is tight and kinda hard but all is well. You guys can do this, hang in there and above all keep a positive attitude and try your best to contain the freaking out part. I know it is hard, just do your best.
Lenny

lauriern,
My father had unknown primary but the left neck dissection was performed prior to beginning any treatments. His was less than 4 cm. He also was never a smoker. Is it possible they felt your husband's needed to shrink so that surgery could be performed? I have extremely limited experience with all of this and I am sure many on this forum might be able to provide you more assistance. Is he being treated at a major comprehensive cancer center? I can tell you everyone on this forum would tell you to ask and continue to ask all of your questions. As lenny said try not freak out but I know it is very hard. Many people have survived this your husband will too.
Continue to post and let us now how things go.
God bless
Kim

Hi Lauriern,

Have they done a CT scan? The scan should show hot spots. If his neck is swedlling like you say, something certainly neds to be done quickly. Personnaly, they started me on daily radiation and 5fu. Then I had chemo inlcuding taxol and cisplatin once a week for several weeks and finished with another round of 5fu. More or other chemo may have helped stem the swelling.

The neck disection is not as bad as it sounds. I have a scar, but most people cannot see it unless they are part of the medical profession or I point it out. I did not use tobacco either. They also glued me up. No stitches whatsoever.

Good luck and ask about the scan. My thoughts are with you.

Steve

I had a 'modified radical neck dissection' 3/9/06. They took 47 lymph nodes, only one was positive for cancer. 50 some odd staples. The most painful part was all the biopsies the doctor took from my mouth, throat, tongue, etc. looking for the primary. Vicodin controlled the pain until I healed. I have numbness from my ear down alongside my neck to the front and back of my shoulder.

If it's an unknown primary, that means they don't know where the original tumor is. What is it they want to dissect? Are there swollen lymph nodes?

Well we did get a 2nd opinion and treatment is on again. The neck swelling appears to be going down.I am glad we didn't stop it pays to get a second opinion. He had hiccups for 3 days after the cisplatin and is a little depressed at being nauseated all the time even with Zofran. compazine reglan and ativan. I keep telling him to hang in.

Laurie - My husband had an ongoing problem with hiccups during treatment as well. It was very frustrating. They prescribed Thorazine to help with that, but it only seemed to help for an hour or so. He also battled nausea and took the exact same drugs you mention. After trying to come up with solutions and different drugs and different patterns of doing things, we just kind of concluded that in addition to the obvious things, build up of phlegm in his stomach was contributing significantly to the nausea. Wish I could offer a better suggestion but, as you say, just tell him to hang in there and try to deal with the symptoms hour by hour. He will get through it.
Michele