I know we all react differently to treatment but this is part of my story, if it helps.
By way of context, my initial diagnosis was a HPV+ T1 N1 SCC originating in my right tonsil. The tonsil was removed robotically in October and the PATHOS project allocated me to 30 x radio and 5 x weekly chemo sessions. The Full Monty, so to speak.
28 out of 30 RT completed today. (65 Gy over 30 fractions.)
After 3 weeks I had lost all sense of taste and had a chronically dry mouth, so nothing unexpected there. In week 4 my throat became more painful around where my right tonsil had been removed and the skin on my neck began to feel warm. The right side of my throat hurt significantly, however, as well as the area around my uvula, but I could work around that with a dose of Antacid and Oxetacaine suspension before eating to ease the soreness. As a result I could still eat things like soup and soggy bread, porridge, pasta twirls and Ambrosia rice puddings pretty well so was just about managing to keep my calories up. Everything tasted like cardboard but at least I wasn’t getting hungry.
In week 5 I sort of plateaued and began to think things might stay as they were. However, the end of week 5, on Boxing Day, the radiation burns on my neck suddenly kicked in. Ouch! The FlamigelRT I’d been given by my team only gave very temporary relief and didn’t seem to moisturise particularly well. So at night I plastered my neck with Diprobase, which did help.
At my extra session on the Sunday (27th) the RT team took a look and told me my skin was beginning to break down in the area under my right ear. They prescribed me Flaminal Hydro to put on the sore bits. I’ve only just started using it (as the hospital Lloyds didn’t have any in stock) but it already seems to be helping.
I foolishly assumed that burning would probably not be a big issue for me as I have Mediterranean type skin, never burn in the sun and, much to the annoyance of my wife, always turn brown instantly. How wrong I was. The burns smart like hell and the only relief I am able to get is to turn or move my head as little as possible. So no driving now, as I can’t look left and right, and lots of sedentary activity, which is frustrating.
I’m acutely aware that even though I finish RT on Saturday I will keep ‘cooking’ for a good couple of weeks afterwards (again, everyone is different) so things have the potential to get worse before they get better.
I know there are a few in here who have just started out on the RT journey, so I cannot stress enough the importance of constant skin care around the neck during treatment.
I wish I’d taken more notice!
Oh, thanks. I’ll look into that. Cheers 
Thanks Ray
I’m acutely aware that even though I finish RT on Saturday I will keep ‘cooking’ for a good couple of weeks afterwards (again, everyone is different) so things have the potential to get worse before they get better.
Hi Mark.
The good news is that your neck won't keep cooking. The RT targeted at the tumour does keep working but the skin reaction is quite different. It's not really a burn but rather a disruption of the layer of cells under the skin that are used for renewal. Once RT is finished it will very quickly heal. Just make sure it doesn't get infected. So Chin up and Happy New Year, Mark
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
That’s really helpful Dani and Hazel. Thanks very much. I just assumed my burns would continue to get worse just like my throat. Some good news for once!
Sorry to hear about your uvula though Hazel. Among the frighteningly long list of possible side effects I hadn’t heard of that one.
Thanks for the feedback
Ha ha. It’s a club. Mine’s fried too. I think it’s quite common. 
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Well, I guess it just might cure my snoring! 
