Neck Cancer How Do U choose treatment Plan? UGHHHHH

DsBish 1 hour ago

2 replies
87 subscribers
12 views

Hi agsin....21 Days later and I can safely say..

No....No Thanks 2 all this!

Ok Pity party iver...4 now....

How do I Ever decide what treatment 2 Take...OMFG! Just when Im set on one they offer a different one....PLEASE COMMUNITY HELP!

Squamous Carcinoma HPV 16 Tonsil Positive with 3 Lymph nodes here Stage 1

Options in no particular order:

A) Surgery w Radiation Alone (fewer than 33 treatments)or With Chemo(ome or None)

B) Radiation and Chemo Only-(33 Radiation Treatments at least 2 Chemo Treatments)

C) Trial- A little Radiation up Front Immunotherapy & Surgery

Sorry no info on the Immunotherapy yet, kniw it makes your own immune system fight the cancer, just talked 2 Doc yesterday. Will update when get more info.

The Chemo would be Cisplatin.

Overwhelmed AF

Ok, so my Rubric 4 Choosing is:

What will give me highest mortality rate with lowest recurrance of cancer and with least amount of long term side effects/side effects in general

Right?

Some Facts I have so far that are huge weights on the con side.

Chemo/Cisplatin ....soooo many people with hearing loss and ringing in their ears, long term, so many possible long term negative side effects...kidney issues etc...chemo is almost as scary as cancer!

Please share your treatment journeys, thoughts, 2nd thoughts and how you are doing now.

CatSW9 1 hour ago

Hello

I'm really sorry you're in this position, it must be overwhelming. All I can say is that it's over 3 years since I finished CRT (without surgery, see my profile for more details) and the only side effect I'm left with is a dryish mouth. The doctors are obliged to tell you all the possible side effects for informed consent, even though most people don't get most of them.

Wishing you all the very best, whatever you decide

Catriona

September 2022 aged 63 diagnosed with HPV associated SCC base of tongue T4 N2 M0. Chemo & radiotherapy for 6 weeks ending Nov 2022. Now over 3 years all clear. See my profile for longer story

Sophie66 1 hour ago

It is hard when you are given several options. I was lucky and was only given one option which was surgery (for jaw cancer not tonsil cancer) followed by radiotherapy but no chemo. I took my medical team's advice and this is what happened. I started my jaw cancer journey in 2013 and have had another 2 ops since then plus another lot of radiotherapy. I have had good results and am living a happy life in spite of some long term effects.

Discuss in detail all the options with your medical team so you fully understand their thinking and then you can weigh up the pros and cons. For some surgery is not an option as Dani and Hazel will tell you so radiotherapy and chemo is the way forward and they have both had great success with their treatment. For others surgery to remove the cancer and depending on clear margins then radiotherapy and chemo. is the way forward. It depends on your particular circumstances. Discuss with your medical team why you are being given so many alternatives.

This is a very stressful time for you but once you decide on the treatment and move forward it does become easier. HPV driven cancers have a very high success rate with treatment. My cancer was not HPV driven but I still have had great success with my treatment.

Lyn

Sophie66

More from this forum

Neck Cancer How Do U choose treatment Plan? UGHHHHH