Tonsillar SCC With Neck Nodes

Or does the radiotherapy kill the diseased tonsil  

Can’t say why he removed  yours , mine wasn’t removed. Know many on here who have had healthy ones  removed as well. Only your consultant can tell you why he did it. I asked why mine wasn’t removed where he found the cancer and that what he told me. 
Hazel  

yes it does  destroy it completely it melted mine   Along with my uvula. All I have left is the bsck wall of the throat the front wall of cancer tonsil has gone as well 

Hazel x

Radiotherapy kills the tumour....Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. It usually works by keeping the cancer cells from growing, dividing, and making more cells. Because cancer cells usually grow and divide faster than normal cells, chemotherapy has more of an effect on cancer cells.

Hi Mark,

They took both of mine. They took the healthy one to analyse it and check nothing sinister there. They took the one with tumour but margins weren't clear enough. There will be a good reason why they thought it better to leave it. And yep chemo-rt should get the rest (at least that's what I am hoping has happened in my case). There is a good response rate. 

The next 10 days to two weeks will be frustrating as you wait, but they need to run histology then they will meet to discuss results and plan before they see you.

Take whatever pain relief you need. I wasn't too bad for 1st 2-3 days as they dose you up on the good stuff in hospital. By 7 days expect to need more than paracetamol. By day 10 the pain should start to ease. 

You'll be through this stage soon. Easy to say but try not to overthink it all, it will drive you crazy.

Ronnie 

Unknown said:

Hi, had my biopsy and in recovery now, the consultant just went home but the nurse said the surrounding areas are normal, confused slightly, they have removed the healthy tonsil and just taken a biopsy of the one with the tumour, it runs quite deep apparently,  but how will they eventually get rid of the remaining tonsil and why not remove the majority of it, why not leave the healthy tonsil  

So the healthy tonsil looks normal but they can't tell without a biopsy. Without knowing which bit to biopsy (fine needle biopsies can miss cancer if it's small) Therefore it makes sense to take it out. If the disease in the other tonsil is obvious to the naked eye it's relatively simple to make sure you have a representative sample for the histopathologist to look at.

If the cancer is extending into surrounding tissue radiotherapy will destroy it where the surgeons knife can't reach without compromising normal throat structure.

My cancer was completely obliterated by RT along with both tonsils and half my uvula

I hope that helps by way of explanation. 

Unknown said:

Or does the radiotherapy kill the diseased tonsil  

Yes, essentially, and the chemotherapy used kills cancer cells directly and sensitises them to the radiation. RT also kills healthy tissue if used at a high dose (which is what we get) and why I have no throat tonsils even though my cancer was in my lingual tonsils

I had one suspect one removed (the histology was clear in the end) and the healthy one removed.  When I questioned why the first answer I got was that they always took both to save me having to explain to other clinicians why I only had one!  Also in my case, as I am CUP, it was a belt and braces removal just in case there was spread, but it too was clear.

I just really do not want any tonsils remaining after this experience, I'm gutted the cancer is still in my mouth after yesterday's discomfort it doesn't feel like I'm moving forward, 12 hours in hospital seemingly for nothing, yes I know its essential but the surgeon didn't even speak to me afterwards, just went home  I had to ask a nurse for the write up which I don't understand.

Mark. Sometimes nurses are much better at communicating with you than the consultant. My biopsy was in early October and my treatment didn’t start till early December. Those 2 months didn’t make a difference. Have you asked why they can’t surgically remove all the cancer? 

Hi Mark  my consultant didn’t speak to
me he also went home. But I did get a phone call a few days later from hom once histology had bern done. He knew the csncer was in the tonsil and I was then sent to see oncologist at Leeds. They have a process you are at the start of it try not to stress 

Hazel