MDT meeting

Hi Mrs Pooks

If i remember correctly, in my case, i had the results of the scans fairly quickly after having them done. Then it wasn't long after that i had the 'pow wow' with my team to tell me what they were going to do.

But saying that even though it was quick getting my results, everyone will say that it feels like a life time & that the waiting is the worst.

They don't keep you hanging around, i know once diagnosed my feet didn't touch the ground.

I hope that's helped.

Good luck to you both 

Cat x

It's very easy to get caught up in wanting things to happen quicky, and as Cat said, the waiting is horrible.

That said it was always emphasised to me that getting the right treatment was more important than getting it done quicky. Your husband's team will gather all the info they need to tailor his treatment specifically for him, no "one size fits all" in this.

Waiting is awful, I think all of us would agree on that, but try not to worry (easier said than done I know).

Hi Mrs Pooks 

You usually get an appointment at the next available clinic after the MDT. My head and neck clinics have always been on a Thursday with the MDT meeting the day before. They won’t hang around. 
The  only time I was kept waiting was after my post treatment PET/CT and that was for five weeks but I suspect they was actually a very significant reason for that. 

MrsPooks said:

I can’t seem to find any guidance on this.

There are NICE guidelines for completing radiotherapy after surgery. 

The rest is more flexible. 

As Mike rightly pointed out the treatment plan has to be right and accurate. My plan was in place there weeks after diagnosis but I had to wait another five weeks for Linac availability… such is the parlous state of the Welsh NHS. 
I’m still here four years later cured and well

Hi Mrs Pooks. The waiting’s by far the worst. It’s fear if the unknown. There’s a tried and tested route. Lots if planning ti be done. I was from first diagnosis ti first day if treatment 62 days. From my scans and mdt meeting just over 3 weeks which was busy with mask making ct scan for planning and meeting the radiotherapy team snd dieticians. 
Hazel

The scans will tell your husbands team where the primary cancer is. Lymph nodes are usually secondary spread most often from a tonsil or base of tongue. He will likely need radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The radiotherapy has to be finely targeted so he will have a plastic mask made to immobilise him on the treatment table in exactly the same place every time. This will be followed by a CT planning scan with the mask on. I was lucky to have mine one after the other but sometimes there is an interval of a day or two. Modern AI can make the treatment plan in a matter of a day or so but then there is often a wait for machine availability. A wait won’t make any difference. 

Ty x