#9790 03-03-2007 10:33 AM | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 6 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 6 | My question is to all long time survivors. I am a 1 year SCC nasal cavity cancer survivor.I had 30 RT's & 6 chemo treatments. When your doctor say's your scans are clear and there is no sign of cancer, does that mean your in remission? My oncologist said that there isn't enough information about nasal cavity cancer to say for sure.
Thank you!
Cindy | | |
#9791 03-03-2007 12:18 PM | 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 | Cindy,
I am not yet a long time survivor but I hope to be. Anyway this is what my doc said to me about remission.
Cancer remission is often thought to mean that the cancer has been cured. However, this is not always true.
There are different classifications of remission - complete and partial remission.
Complete remission means that there are no signs or symptoms of cancer. This can mean the cancer has been cured, or cancer may still be present in the body.
Partial remission refers to the point when few signs and symptoms of cancer remain, however there is a noticeable decrease of cancer cells.
I am sure you will get some variations to that description but it sounds reasonable.
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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#9792 03-03-2007 03:03 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | It could mean that your tumor has had a "complete response" (CR)to treatment - which means they killed it dead - period.
"Remission" is used more often for cancers that can be arrested temporarily, such as Hodgkins disease or Leukemia, but may come back requiring another round of treatment. Solid tumors often have a "complete response" to treatment.
A "recurrence" would be a new tumor at the original tumor bed (locoregional).
H&N cancers may metastasize however and start new tumors in regional or distant locations, such as the liver, kidneys, lungs or brain.
I have to admit that we don't see many nasal cavity cancers here. The majority are base of tongue or tonsil.
Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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#9793 03-03-2007 04:09 PM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 | Hi Cindy, Congratulations on the one yr mark, that is exellent there is no sign of cancer after one yr. The majority of recurrances will happen in the first 2 yrs, so your already half way there.
I was diagnosed with Nasopharyngeal cancer, Which is behind the nasal cavity with similar outcomes.It developed when my immune system was extremly weak fighting off leukemia for 18 months. I thought if I can live 5 yrs I'll be the luckiest S.O.B. of all time. Well I,m 9yrs(leukemia) and 7 yrs. (Nasopharynx).
I hope you continue to have clean scans, best of luck.
Always, Mark
Mark D. Stage 3 Nasopharynx dx10/99 T2N3M0 40xrad 2x Cisplatin 5FU. acute leuk 1998.
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#9794 03-04-2007 01:36 AM | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 248 | Dear Cindy-- as a sidebar to my above post,I am the type who always feels that there are microscopic cancer cells in my body just waiting to wreak havoc so I constantly have to drive the most important message home to myself. Stop worrying and remember the most important point I am ALIVE.It's not easy to do and after 9 yrs. I'm still working at it. My obituary is going to say he died of a heart attack worrying about his cancer.
Always,
Mark.
Mark D. Stage 3 Nasopharynx dx10/99 T2N3M0 40xrad 2x Cisplatin 5FU. acute leuk 1998.
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#9795 03-04-2007 04:11 AM | 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 | Mark,
Funny!!!
I hope that is your cause of death 50 yrs from now.
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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