Tom, I think that we talked on here the first time I posted, I'm the one born in Massillon, GO TIGERS! Yes I'd appreciate a name of a Doc at UH, but I'm confused as to what kind I should see, an oncologist (and oh by the way, do they all treat all forms of cancer, probably a stupid question) or a RO?

This is a mess to me and any guidance would help immensely.

Thanks,

Paua

Hi Paula,
I remember you now because you went to Massillon HS and my wife went to McKinley HS. Big high school football rivalry.

My ENT doctor at UH is Dr Pierre Lavertu. He chose my course of treatment of radiation and chemo. Phone - (216) 844-4773.

I actually saw Dr. Lavertu today and he said he just graduated me from 2 month visits to 3 month visits as of today.

My Radiation Oncologist is Dr. Kunos.

My Medical Oncologist is Dr Savvides.

All these doctors work as a team at the UH Ireland Cancer Center.

Lavertu is a Head and Neck doctor. I think Kunos and Savvides treat all types of cancers.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need any other info.

How about that, Pookie with the Tigers, Tom's wife with McKinley and I'm with Steubenville Big Red. LOL Now those used to some big game for all 3 schools. WE all played each other then.

Hi Paula,
I agree with the other posters that you should get a second opinion but would also like to offer a word of warning about biopsies. I had 3 surgeries last year for two cancers in my mouth with clear margins (the last surgery was a partial mandibulectomy in September). No rad or chemo was deemed necessary by my ENT and his cohorts on the tumour board (which he chairs) and all looked good until March when a lump appeared under my chin just two weeks after a 'clear' check up. I went back to the ENT and was sent for a CT scan which confirmed an enlarged 'suspicious' 1.8 cm node.

I then had a PET/CT scan and a fine needle biopsy which both were 'negative' for cancer. No uptake in the node and no cancer was found in the samples from the needle aspiration. Due to the results of the original CT scan my surgeon wanted to remove the node anyway so I had surgery on the 12th May. The node was removed and a frozen section taken and sent to pathology while I was still under. It was almost 3cm in size and there was extracapsular spread. It was cancerous so a selective neck dissection was done and 48 further nodes removed (all were found to be free of cancer). I am now having chemo and radiation.

I guess the moral to my story is get as many tests done as possible and don't make any decisions based solely on biopsy results - they are just a sample and the cancer could be potentialy be missed.

Good Luck!

Sue

True the downside to a FNA is that the cells can only be tested from the fluid withdrawn and if that misses the cancer in whatever they stick then the cancer would be overlooked. I know that my FNA involved 2 separate sticks and a considerable amount of fluid and even so I feel fortunate that they were able to Dx my cancer.