Hi All,

My biopsy's came back today and all three areas they biopsied were negative for cancer. Of course that made me feel very good......little irritated with my doc for telling more than I needed to know before the results....but I know he didn't mean anything by it. It was just such a horrible emotional roller coster ride the past few days, for me and everyone around me. He called me with the results himself and after he gave me that info. he told me he's still concerned with an area behind my swallowing passage that they couldn't reach to biopsy. I am having a harder time swallowing efficiently but I really believe it's because I lost so much mobility in my tongue. I have a tough time even getting my saliva to the back of my throat to swallow it, and when I do it's such a weak swallow that it most times just comes back up. He looked in my throat and didn't see anything. So, now he wants me to go and start chemo and, in his words, "if this is cancerous, it will shrink". Have any of you had this experience? I'm kind of surprised that a chemo doc would do chemo without a definitive biopsy???

It just keeps going on and on. My husband even pushed at me tonight to go for a second opinion, but I'm at Hopkins which is supposed to be so good. Any suggestions? I'm not against a second opinion, but dont' want to bump my docs nose out of shape either. I feel pretty good, I've gained weight, I just want to do something about this but I'm throughly confused now.

Any advice would be priceless to me right now.

Take care,
Minnie

Bringing this back to the top, I'm really anxious to get some opinions.

Thanks,
Minnie

Oh Minnie - what a tough choice. Is there absolutely no way they can get a biopsy? even surgically?

He said he can go in surgically but hates to because of the issues I already have with my neck from radiation and previous surgery's. Personally, I feel like I want to know if it's cancer before I go through chemo.

Take care,
Minnie

I would want to know too...

Dear Minnie

I am so happy that you have three negative biopsies. What relief for you and your family.

I would definitely want to have some evidence of malignancy before embarking on as debilitating a treatment as chemo. Couldn't the doc get a biopsy by doing a gastroscopy or something similar?

I guess another approach could be the 'wait and see for a month' scenario.
Risky, I know, but with your very stressful period over and a restful quality of life, you may improve. If it were me I wouldn't rush into chemo.

I often have difficulty swallowing and still am very prone to a sore throat. Because of my very dry mouth I guess.

Lots of love to you Minnie.

Thank God for those negative biopsies. I cheered when I read that. The doc recommending chemo, though, sounds like he is really convinced that last spot is cancer--to recommend chemo without even a biopsy!

Though I guess the argument can be made that that is the best and most aggressive treatment to have and you certainly are at the best place to get a reliable opinion. Perhaps you could ask a little more about the risks would be of surgery to verify it is cancer before the chemo--maybe that would at least help you understand the recommendation.

I'll be honest here. I think if I were in your shoes, having already had one recurrence, and a doc at Johns Hopkins was saying to get chemo because the surgery would have too many other risks, I would probably (reluctantly) follow the doctor's recommendation. But that's my bias in things--I'd rather do an overly aggressive option (as long as it was recommended by a real expert) than take a chance of having to wonder later if I should have. It's a tough decision, though.

This probably isn't of much help to you, I wish I could help more.

Nelie

Minnie,
Thank G-d for the good results from the biopsies.
For your peace of mind you should request a consult with a gastroenterologist and a swallow test by a speech pathologist before agreeing to chemo for a "maybe" problem. It is possible that a therapist can recommend exercises to help with the swallowing and/or an esophageal dilation. The swallow test is probably the easiest medical test there is. You are given solids and liquids of various viscosities and consistencies, all laced with barium and the mechanics of chewing and swallowing show up on a monitor. I hope that this will help and you don't have to go through any more harsh treatments.
Malka

Minnie,
I am so thrilled for you! I agree with Malka. I would want to exhaust all other options before the horrible chemo. Best of luck in whatever decision you make.
Sue

Minnie,

I wanted you to know that I was thrilled to hear about the negative biopsies. It might be time to seriously consider a second opinion and not worry about stepping on anyone's toes. Between telling you prematurely about a diagnosis and recommending chemo without a diagnosis, that would give me second thoughts.

Good luck.

Jerry