Head and neck Cancer diagnosis for Mum

Hi Here4mum  welcome. 
First, try not to panic. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck is the classic presentation of HPV positive tonsil cancer which is very sensitive to radiotherapy. Have a good look round the rest of the forum. You'll find that most of us presented the same way. 
The treatment is a real challenge and will make your mum feel pretty awful for a good few weeks but there are lots of things that can be done to make her more comfortable. 
It is a frightening time but honestly she will feel better once her treatment plan is in place. There will be a few weeks of preparation but it shouldn’t be long. See if you can go in with her for consultations. Four ears are better than two. 
I was 68 when I finished treatment and I am well 5 years later. 
We are never completely as we were but as good as. 
Stay with us. You’ll have lots of questions on the way and there’s always someone to chat to. 

Hi , Try to stay calm your  mums diagnosis so far mirrors mine 6 years ago next month. We had been over in Spain and I stupidly now realise  thought I had pulled a muscle in my neck I had Larry the lymph node has I call him now.i was all I had.lI was fir had cycled 1100km no issues swallowing eat8 f nothing. My primary was jn my tonsil and I was HPV positive which is a good indication for an excellent response to treatment. I can’t lie treatments is hard but once you get a plan your brain settles down. Read my blog below if you can get mum to read it will hopefully help her. Any questions just ask we’re always happy to help. 
Im happily living my life and yes im cycling iver in Spain over here at the moment. 
hugs  Hazel. The waiting s the worst part it’s fear of the unknown. 

Thanks so much for replying, i definitely feel better reading peoples positive stories. 
the scariest thing for sure is the fear of the unknown. 
mum had her tonsils removed when she was little girl, so surely cant be them? And the lymph node swelling is both sides, they are like two golf balls:( 

I keep reading about this HPV+ Presentation within the cancer and it responding well to treatment, can this only be the case if it’s tonsil cancer? 
just praying they find the primary on Wednesday and the treatment ball will get rolling. 
I’ve told her I’m with her every single step of the way, in every appointment. My friend recommended to record voice notes immediately after appointments as well as taking notes as there might be a lot of info to digest. 
I also had no idea about the treatment and how awful it is. Is there anything at I can prepare her for this better? 
oh it feels stupid even talking about this as we have no idea what she’s going to be diagnosed with and exactly what treatment she will need. 
I haven’t told my mum I’ve come here and posted, do you think I should? So she can read other peoples experiences. 

Hi only yiu  know what your mums like she should be ok in here  i came in here straight away and people helped me and I now help others plus a shared experience can’t be beaten. We have 2 sets of tonsils the ones you see which was my cancer and Fanis whose also replied to you was base of tongue where there’s another set of tonsils. Yes ask if you can record the consultation and take notes our daughter came with us and she did that. We can’t second guess any diagnosis but 70%of orapharangeal cancers are HPV positive. Yes it’s the majority that’s tonsil and base if tongue. Try to keep off dr Google you’ll only scare yourself try to stick with us in here. As for preparing her it’s nit an easy one make sure she eats as normal as long as she can if she’s underweight maybe get her to eat more calories nit always easy. If she smokes or drinks help her to stop. And exercise all way through helps if only a daily walk.

hazelxx

Thank you so much! Google is officially in the bin! I’m going to seek advice here, thanks for being so helpful. 
she’s such a foody and an amazing cook:( since shes been diagnosed she’s not really eaten at all. I’m going to try to encourage a bit more eating especially if any impending treatment makes that impossible for a while. Get her strength up. Thanks so much for taking the time to reply and share your stories, it really means so much, I’ve gone from having this constant intrusive thought that my lovely mum is going to die, to now having only thoughts that the treatment is going to be sh*t but she will get better! 

Hi, I’ve recently come in here for more information for my mum also. 
she wanted to know certain food types that she might be able to taste, sadly there’s nothing now. 
She has neck cancer that has gone to lymph nodes and found another in her oesophagus. She having 2 lots of chemo and 35 sessions of radio , now starting week five. 
I don’t  tell her all I find out on here but some I do. 
There’s a few people that are here instantly  with great advice and better than google! 

Not sure I’ll be of much help but stay in touch 

I’m so sorry for your mum, does taste come back after time? 
is taste lost due to the radiotherapy or the chemotherapy? 
 I really hope she can taste again one day, so miserable. 
can I please ask was your mum a smoker? 
my mum smoked from very young and gave up in her 40’s:( 

Hi again. Even if you have tonsils out there is often some tissue that is left behind. We have tonsils in our pharynx and also in the base of the tongue which is where mine was. There are other places in the throat where cancer can spread to lymph nodes and your mums exploratory surgery will likely find it. 

Hi you’ll be able to help each other. Taste often goes during treatment but it mostly dies return. I was the oddball I dudnt loose taste but went the other way over taste ehhch is just as bad. Now almist 6 years on there’s only spicy I can’t tolerate. Hugs Hazel xf

Hi Here4mum

T2N1M0 HPV+ tonsil cancer....Finished Chemoradio June 2023....

I could taste nothing at the end of CRT...9 months on taste is back to 65-70% and still improving

This NHS publication may help Taste Changes - Advice for head & neck cancer patients A4 (cht.nhs.uk)

Peter