Question about throat cancer

Hi Rose

Laryngeal cancer is generally not due to HPV but to smoking. RT can fail if the cancer presents advanced or if the patient continues smoking. 
Exactly this happened to my first husband. 

So this type of cancer is totally different from what mark has?  It’s got nothing to do w the oropharynx besides being in a different part?  

also, do you know if once treatment ends, that results cd show that there wd be a higher stage cancer somewhere else that the treatment cd not reach?  

markmac said:

So this type of cancer is totally different from what mark has?  It’s got nothing to do w the oropharynx besides being in a different part?  

Yes.
Its not even in the oropharynx 
Macmillan have a separate forum for those patients

markmac said:

also, do you know if once treatment ends, that results cd show that there wd be a higher stage cancer somewhere else that the treatment cd not reach?  

Do you mean the PET? 
If there was another cancer somewhere then it would be visible. 
The treatment is specific for oropharyngeal cancer. It wouldn’t treat any other. 
But why are you considering another cancer somewhere else? 

Because this whole thing is making me a  Wreck. Mark was a smoker when diagnosed and m just nervous something else will pop up.  I’m just very worried I cannot help how I feel. I apologize

plus chemo is systemic wouldn’t that target any other area that has cancer?

markmac said:

I apologize

No need to apologise. I know you’re worried. I’m trying g to put your mind at ease and answer your questions. 

markmac said:

plus chemo is systemic wouldn’t that target any other area that has cancer?

No. Every cancer has different chemotherapy to treat it. There are over a hundred different chemotherapy drugs each acting in different ways. 
The cisplatin Mark had acts to make his cancer more sensitive to radiotherapy. It’s the RT that affects the cure. 
I used to be a smoker. I didn’t have any chemo. I’m fit and well six years down the line. 

I know and I am thankful for your trying to get me out of this slump I’m in. I wish he were a former smoker when diagnosed. 
so mark has chemo as well because it was unknown primary. The dr said what the radiation wd not get that the chemo wd. That’s why I questioned that. Plus I did once ask the dr about that tiny lung nodule. I asked well wd the treatment he’s having now get rid of it and she said yes it it were found to be cancer it wd. I do t know if New York is different than the UK w cancer treatments either.  That’s where we live in the United States.  

I won’t disagree with your oncologist. I’m repeating what I was told, that cisplatin is a radiosensitizer and that it’s the radiation that  does the job. You can look that up fairly safely without going down a rabbit hole. 
You should be able to tie your oncologist down to explain. It should be easier for you as the system is different in the USA and insurance companies pay well making doctors more accessible. 

I dont want you thinking I’m second guessing you because I’m not. I’m just trying to understand as much as I can. Thank you my new friend️

You should get your PET results pretty quickly too. Fingers crossed.