Hello
My husband had been experiencing a sore throat, swallowing problems, ear pain and then developed a lump on his neck a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday he was told by the ENT he had cancer on his vocal cord. While we were kind of expecting such a diagnosis, I am devastated and not coping well. I'm trying to be strong for him but it's hard. He is coping better than me. He is having a biopsy on his throat and some scans over the next couple of weeks to see if the cancer has spread.
I was trying not to panic too much until we know what we are dealing with. Then today he was sent a copy of a letter that was sent to his GP. In it it stated
'Endoscopic views of the throat demonstrated an irregularity centred on the aryepiglottic fold on the left hand side extending down to the false cord and likely into the pyriform fossa.'
I didn't know what the 'pyriform fossa' was so googled it. I wish I hadn't as I read that the survival rates for cancers that start in the pyriform fossa are very low. I now feel absolutely sick when I was just starting to get myself together.
Does anyone have any experience of cancer in this area?
Does anyone have any experience of cancer in this area?
One of our community champs had this and is still with us many years later.
Youve learned that Google is a bad source of info at this stage so best left alone. Try not to panic and second guess what’s going to happen. Your oncologist is best fit to help you decide the treatment and there are a few options.
Stay with us. There is lots of help here and you’ll have many questions along the way.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Did you discuss options with ENT or is a decision being made after scans?
Throat cancers do not commonly metastasise distantly if that’s any consolation
Call his CNS. They may be able to give you more info. Until then it’s a horrid waiting game. .
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
ENT said treatment options to be discussed once he's had all the scans etc.
Usually chemotherapy and radiotherapy. He might have surgery on the lymph nodes in his neck. Many people with spread to lymph nodes don’t, the RT takes care of it.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Good evening JaneO, im sorry about your husband, im afraid this is what Google does it gives bad information and leaves people in despair, nobody knows what the cure rate is and how the recovery will go until they get the biopsy and scan results, this will also determine whether it will involve surgery, radiotherapy/chemo. Please don't think its all doom and gloom as the team will do whatever they feel is the best and safest way forward. I have experienced larynx cancer which involves the vocal cords but my diagnosis was to have my Larynx (voicebox ) removed as they felt it was the best option. I disagree with the low survival rates and would say they are very good. I had my last operation in 2010 and it was a great success. If you like you can read my story about my dealings with cancer, click on my name and you be able to read it. Wishing you and your husband all the very best for the biopsy and scan results along with the treatment plan, take care.
Chris xx
Its sometimes not easy but its worth it !
Im the person Dani (Beesuit) referred to Jane; my primary was "right medial piriform fossa" and I had node spread as well. That was nearly eleven years ago now and I'm still very much alive and kicking. My team always said the result of treatment would be "complete cure" and they were true to their word.
I made the same mistake as you (we probably all did), of looking at online "survival rates" but they're really meaningless, outdated and scary. Steer clear! Ask your questions on here, you'll get completely up to date answers from the horses mouth. Very best to you both.
Metastatic SCC diagnosed 8th October 2013. Modified radical neck dissection November, thirty-five radiotherapy fractions with 2xCisplatin chemo Jan/Feb 2014. Recurrence on larynx diagnosed July 2020 so salvage laryngectomy in September 2020.
