#85169 11-30-2008 11:52 PM | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | OP  Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 | I had to have a pause in treatment for about 1 week of radiation when I was very sick and in the hospital. Then I went for rads Mon, Tues, and Wed. and they were closed for Thanksgiving on Thurs, and Friday. So all in all I lost 7 days of radiation. What I am worried about is what kind of problems that may cause me in my treatment? Does anyone have any answer to this question or has anyone else had to have a pause in their treatments and if so did it cause them problems? My Rad. Dr. said I have had enough chemo as I can't take anymore. They haven't been able to get my WBC count up even with the shots they have been giving me. Thank you, Angel
SCC left tonsil, tonsillectomy with additional tissue removed 06/10/08, a few teeth on top left side removed 09/05/08,recurrence before treatment started at BOT and tonsil area, 35 IMRT treatments began 10/15/08, and Cisplatin IV (began10/16/08) weekly for duration of radiation.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Angel
Not a doctor, just a fellow survivor with some reassurance. I was just as worried when over the course of 40 treatments, I "missed" not one, but two weeks due to the radiation machine getting out of alignment. Sometimes they would call to cancel just as we were walking out the door that afternoon, other times we would not find out until we had been sitting in the waiting room - very frustrating. From what my doctors have said, and my tests results this last year - no problems at all from the break. Hope your WBC count rebounds soon. Hang in there
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | SCC is a very aggressive cancer and the current thinking in treatment is to hit it hard and fast so to speak and no breaks in the radiation would fit that thinking but remember they also "give" us Sat and Sunday off so they already break the rad up somewhat. I was fortunate that I didn't have any breaks (I guess) but there really isn't any definitive way that I know of to measure if your particular break could really make a difference so I wouldn't worry about it at all. Now if you are HPV+ which you don't say, then a study has concluded that HPV+ SCC responds better to the Tx compared to HPV- SCC so that may also affect this discussion.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 716 | Are you making the lost days up?
7-16-08 age 37@Dx, T3N0M0 SCC 4.778cm tumor, left side of oral tongue, non smoker, casual drinker, I am the 4th in my family to have H&N cancer
8-13-08 left neck dissection and 40% of tongue removed, submandibular salivary gland & 14 nodes clean, no chemo, IMRTx35
11-4-08 Recovering & feeling better
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 | Angel, I had to take a "break" on two ocassions. The first was to put in a feeding tube as my mouth was so messed up. Second was toward the end of tx. My RO pushed to get me back in as soon as possible but never expressed concern about these delays ( one was for a week and the second was 4 days ). I personally think you can take this off your worry list.
Bill . . . SCC - originated in right tonsil, drifted into neck ( 28 lymph nodes removed - one positive ). Radical neck dissection in September 07, completed 34 radiation tx on January 4, 2008. Used Peg. Non smoker, 61, good shape, no previous health issues. Second year PET scan - "all clear".
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | OP Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 | Charm, Thank you for your reply. I have been taken off the cisplatin after 5 weeks of treatment (once weekly with rad daily). I am still however concerned with the Erbitux they are wanting to give me. The cisplatin didn't bother me until the 4th week in but then it knocked me for a loop. I was hospitalized twice. I am so afraid to take the Erbitux because I don't know if my body can take any more. Angel David, I did not get the Dr. to agree to check for the HPV connection. He was totally against it. I however did try my best but with no results. Thanks, Angel Ray, Yes, I am making up the days I lost during my hospital stay. Thanks, Angel William, That was one of the last reasons I was hospitalized (other than malnutrician and dehydration) was to get a peg tube but they couldn't get my WBC count up enough to do it. I am working real hard to try to force feed myself with ensure, grape juice, V-8, and oatmeal or anything soft like that I can get down. Thanks for your response. Angel
SCC left tonsil, tonsillectomy with additional tissue removed 06/10/08, a few teeth on top left side removed 09/05/08,recurrence before treatment started at BOT and tonsil area, 35 IMRT treatments began 10/15/08, and Cisplatin IV (began10/16/08) weekly for duration of radiation.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Angel, He is totally against testing you for HPV because of.....WHY? I'm sorry but it is your body and your cancer and you're not his child asking for a new I POD and so on, so if you want the slides tested then TELL HIM either he will send them off to Johns Hopkins or give them to you (cause their yours) and find someone that will.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 148 | Angel, hang tough and keep us updated!
Bill . . . SCC - originated in right tonsil, drifted into neck ( 28 lymph nodes removed - one positive ). Radical neck dissection in September 07, completed 34 radiation tx on January 4, 2008. Used Peg. Non smoker, 61, good shape, no previous health issues. Second year PET scan - "all clear".
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | OP Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 | David, Good idea! This is the ENT that doesn't like me to ask him any questions "at all!" Nice Dr. otherwise but can't get him to do much of anything. If I hadn't of went to see the Chemo Dr. and he ordered more test to determine if I needed chemo before rads started, they wouldn't even be treating the new areas on BOT on right and left with radiation and chemo and I wouldn't have known that the cancer had already started coming back as this was due to their waiting so long for my treatment to begin. Initially the cancer was found in late March, I had surgery in June and Rad and chemo started Oct.15th. This is what I get when I didn't have a secondary insurance and was unable to go to a CCC for treatment. Thanks, Angel
SCC left tonsil, tonsillectomy with additional tissue removed 06/10/08, a few teeth on top left side removed 09/05/08,recurrence before treatment started at BOT and tonsil area, 35 IMRT treatments began 10/15/08, and Cisplatin IV (began10/16/08) weekly for duration of radiation.
| | | | | Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | OP Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2008 Posts: 219 | Willian, Thanks, I will. Angel
SCC left tonsil, tonsillectomy with additional tissue removed 06/10/08, a few teeth on top left side removed 09/05/08,recurrence before treatment started at BOT and tonsil area, 35 IMRT treatments began 10/15/08, and Cisplatin IV (began10/16/08) weekly for duration of radiation.
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