Paranasal squamous cell carcinoma

I was diagnosed with adenosquamous cell carcinoma of the sinus in January last year. I was unable to have an operation due to the size. I underwent 2 rounds of TPF chemotherapy then 35 fractions of chemoradiation. It took 11 months for me to get a diagnosis.

I know there are a couple of people on here that have had an operation. This is quite rare and even other cancer patients I have spoken to have never heard of this type. It definitely is a worrying time especially as you await scans and what lies ahead after the operation. I am 10 months post treatment and have been told there is no lump or spread. But I am being closely monitored at the moment as there is uncertainty with my frontal sinus, even though there is an operation that can be done they won’t do it unless something drastically changes. I have been told as my cancer was fast growing if there were any cells left over they would have grown after my treatment ended. Just glad I don’t have the chronic headaches. I still can’t smell things and my eyes constantly water and I now have to use a sinus rinse as my nose doesn’t work the same way now. These things I can deal with.

Tanya

Hi Kay stents welcome to the club that none of us want to join. Glad Tanya has already commented. Yes hearing the words you’ve got cancer will stick in my head forever the date snd time is etched there . Honestly the waiting is the worst part pkease keep off dr google stick to the Macmillian or c r u k site . Yours isn’t one I’ve any experience of hopefully someone else will pop on. You can try the search bar to see if anything pops up. 
I am 32 month post easy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes now living my life to the max. 
keep in touch Hazel 

Hi tanya. Thanks for the response. What symptoms did you have and for how long before it was detected? 

What stage was you at? 

I have been told that the examination at point of biopsy it looked localised and small so I'm guessing thays a good thing? 

Sorry to bombard you with all these questions.  

So pleased you are on the mend. It certainly does make you think differently about your life! 

All the best 

Hi

Before I had any symptoms at all I had collapsed and had a seizure in a middle of a shop in November 2018. Fast forward 3 months later I had a random nose bleed whilst in work which came out of nowhere. I did have some sensitivity to the bridge of the nose when this happened, I raised this whilst in A&E and this was dismissed. I then started to experience headaches around March 2019 so though it could have been the screen in work as I am in front of a computer all day. Nothing wrong with eyes, my one nostril felt blocked constantly and I lost my smell. Made numerous trips to GP in relation to the blocked nose, headaches and sinus pain. My nose then started to swell and the headaches became worse towards the later half of 2019. Trips to GP were becoming frequent at this stage, 1 normal referral to ENT was made and then seen another GP the same week as I had made a trip to A&E and was told it was a GP issue. A urgent referral was made but never heard anything back from the hospital. After seeing a GP in December 2019 a referral to Max Fax was made but not till after the new year, I ended up going back to GP NYE as the headaches were getting worse and I was losing focus with work. Two biopsies later I was diagnosed with adenosquamous carcinoma.

I was never given a stage the only thing was that it was contained in the top part of the nose and had not spread anywhere. I also never had any problems with my vision which I was constantly asked. It took 11 months to diagnose, but cannot fault the care I had once the diagnosis was made. I responded well to the first two cycles of chemotherapy, I was meant to have a third but due to the outbreak of covid my radiotherapy was bought forward. Most people get 6 weeks but my consultant want me to have it for 7 weeks.

It is definitely a good thing they have caught this early, as I have been told by one consultant that this type usually presents late as the symptoms are a lot like sinusitus. I had already been treated for that and it had not worked.

Any questions you have I am happy to help.