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#90525 02-23-2009 09:06 AM
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Hi. John will be starting treatments this week. His first radiation treatment will be this Thursday. He will be receiving Cisplatin every Friday (starting this Friday) along with radiation (IMRT) every day for 7 weeks. My question is, will the effects of the chemo be immediate? He seems to think he will be able to drive himself back and forth to his treatments. I have read a lot of information about the side effects of the radiation but haven't seen to much about the chemo. Thank you again for your help. Wanda


Wanda (47) caregiver to husband John (56) age at diag.(2009)
1-13-09 diagnosed Stage IV BOT SCC (HPV+)
2-12-09 PEG placed, 7-6-09 removed
Cisplatin 7 weeks, 7 weeks (35) IMRT
4-15-09 - treatment completed
8-09,12-09-CT Scans clear, 4-10,6-11-PET Scans clear
4-2013 - HBO (30 dives) tooth extraction
10-2019 - tooth extraction, HBO (10 dives)
11-2019 - Left lateral tongue SCC - Stage 2
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Wanda,
Everybody reacts differently, however:
Since he gets cisplatin every week (30-40mg/m2 ??) the effects from this should not be immediate. Having said that it is possible that you get ringing even after a single low dose treatment! In fact that happened to me (see my signature). You want to watch this and if it occurs let the MO know. He might switch to carboplatin.
Quite a few people receive chemo and radiation together since I am one of them, I cannot personally separate the effects.
On the other hand this (combined treatment) is what your husband gets anyway.
I drove myself to most radiation and chemo treatments (short distance maybe 30 min), however it is a good idea to have a backup plan as he may get as weak as a dog towards the end.

M



Partial glossectomy (25%) anterior tongue. 4/6/07/. IMRT start @5/24/07 (3x) Erbitux start/end@ 5/24/07. IMRT wider field (30x) start 6/5/07. Weekly cisplatin (2x30mg/m2), then weekly carbo- (5x180mg/m2). End of Tx 19 July 07.
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Welcome to the site, and sorry you have to go through this. Your husband's diagnosis is very similar to mine (though I can't tell what size your husband's primary tumor is), and the treatment plan is very close. I had a few more IMRT treatments, and my weely Cisplatin was on Mondays, not Fridays.

Everyone is different in how they react to treatment, and you will see the full spectrum of responses in these forums. Under similar circumstances to your husband, I drove myself to all of my treatments, and continued to work. That is not to say that this will be your husband's experience. Some folks have significant issues during treatment.

I remember being tired after my first chemo treatment, but that was about it. If you go to my blog on this site, I was pretty diligent about chronicling my experience during my active treatment. Here is link.

Best of luck to you and your husband. Keep asking questions, both from your doctors and here. We are all here to help.


Jeff
SCC Right BOT Dx 3/28/2007
T2N2a M0G1,Stage IVa
Bilateral Neck Dissection 4/11/2007
39 x IMRT, 8 x Cisplatin Ended 7/11/07
Complete response to treatment so far!!
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i had my cisplatin everyday on weeks 1,4,7 of my 7 weeks of radiation havent read anyne else having it that way.
Plus i had double radiation on fridays. I dont like to post and say i drove myself everyday thruout because i was on morphine and roxicet. But i did. Im 53 and being an experienced stoner from the time i got my licence 16 till i was
40 i think came in handy in the driving while high .


Tonsil into base of tongue 3to4cm tumor. Giant lemon sized 9cm lymphnode. Squamos cell carcinoma
April 5 diagnosed. June 5 started treatment. Cetuximab Carboplatin Paclitaxel once a week for 6 weeks.Then 7 weeks of radiation plus chemo cisplatin then 4 weeks rest then neck disection was Nov 7 2008
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Umm, clearly you are still on the meds or you wouldn't be posting on a public forum that you were habitually driving while intoxicated...


Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
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Hello Wanda,

I had similar treatments to your husbands, cisplatin every friday and IMRT for 7 weeks. I was ok throughout the 7 weeks. I was quite energetic. The problems I encountered were loss of appetite and taste, thick saliva and also mouth ulcers.

However, I felt quite weak after the treatments were over on 21 Nov 08. I am just fine now except for the loss of taste. So, I had a PEG tube fitted 2 wks ago and now I am putting on weight.

But then again, the effects may not be the same because we respond to treatments differently.

All the best to you both...

Sharifah


SCC on the tongue. Stage II. Total Glossectomy 04/07/08. Recurrence in July. Also Stage II. Partial Mandibulectomy 08/13/08. Radical neck dissection in both ops. All lymph nodes negative. Radiation starts 10/10/08
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Bill had the weekly Cis and twice daily rads and was able to drive himself (if needed) for almost 4 weeks, but reached a point where I was not comfortable with it and began driving to every appointment. He was weak, mentally hazy, and yes, on major pain meds which alone should rule out driving.



Deb..caregiver to husband, age 63 at diagnosis, former smoker who quit in 1997.
DIAGNOSIS: 6/26/07 SCC right tonsil/BOT T4N0M0
TREATMENT START: 8/9/07 cisplatin/taxol X 7..IMRT twice daily X 31.5.
TREATMENT END: 10/1/07
PEG OUT: 1/08
PORT OUT: 4/09
FOLLOWUP: Now only annual exams. ALL CLEAR!

Passed away 1/7/17 RIP Bill
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I had the old style of Tx where I got 3 bags of Cis. One the first day of rads; the 2nd on the 15th day and the last on the last day of rads. I was able or should I say I did drive myself all but the last 2 weeks.


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.
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Mine was same schedule as David's, with flush IV's for 3 days following each Cis. I drove about 70 miles each way except for the last week and a few other days when friends wanted to help. The last 3 weeks I mostly worked from Hospital and home because I was tired and it was easier. I had everything setup at home before treatments started in case I did not handle treatments as well as I did. The week or so after treatments were over was the worse for me. I don't think I would have been able to drive that week.


Bill Van Horn-53 ex-smoker, social drinker, Biopsy 8/24, Diagnosed 8/30/07 BOT T2N2-B MX Stage IV. Started treatments 10/1/07. IMRT 35 x, Cisplatin - 3 cycles - completed treatment 11/16/07. CT Scans on 1/15/08 all clear Selective neck dissection 1/28/08. All nodes clear.
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The're making this Tx so easy now, it won't be long before they wave a magic wand over our head and say "that's it".


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.
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