Hello! Recent laryngeal cancer diagnosis but post op now! Would love to share experiences :)

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi everyone! My name is Hannah and I'm twenty six years old. Just before before Christmas I was diagnosed with the early stages of vocal chord cancer on my left vocal chord. I live overseas in China as an english teacher. My healthcare has covered by insurance so far, and they removed the majority of the upper left side of my vocal chord via lazer surgery. I wanted to reach out to anyone else who may have had similar laser surgery. I'm two weeks post op now and doing some voice therapy. I wondered if I could speak o anyone who has had this similar treatment and ask what their long term voice healing has been like. I'm able to speak quietly currently and I'm they've said my voice will get louder with time (maybe in 2-3 months). I understand my voice will be permanently hoarse but I wanted to see if there was anyone here who has gone through the same thing and how they are doing now. 

I just wanted to share experiences with others who have been through something similar. It can feel overwhelming sometimes. 

Thanks for listening, it's so appreciated. I've felt alone in all of this and hoping speaking to others can give me a sense of community :) 

  • Hi Hannah and welcome. I hope somebody comes along to answer you here. As I mentioned previously, the Larynx section is pretty quiet. Most people here with your sort of problem have radiotherapy and I can't recall anybody who had done exactly what you have.

    I must say you seem so terribly young to be suffering this way. Did your medical team offer any explanation?

    I'll have a scout around for anybody who had laser surgery.

    Best wishes and keep going

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

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  • I'll have a scout around for anybody who had laser surgery.

    There's only one other thread I'm afraid. 9 months ago and the person posted only once 

    Stick around, though. There are folk here who have had radiotherapy to vocal cord lesions. I'm sure they will pop on to say hi

    How are you finding your medical treatment in China? Is your team going to check progress with a PET/CT at some stage?

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge
  • Hi Hannah. Welcome from me as well. Sorry can’t help with your treatment. I had chemo radiotherapy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes. Any help I can offer just ask. 
    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

    2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers 

    https://www.instagram.com/merckhealthcare/reel/DBs8Y0niJ8N/

  • Hello Hannah, sorry but another person unable to help much. My second cancer, around 18 months ago, was on my larynx and I was offered laser surgery but in my case it was considered to be just a "time buying" option, surgeon thought it very unlikely he'd have been able to get sufficient margins, So I opted for a full "salvage" laryngectomy which seems, thus far, to have done the trick.

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    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.

    http://mike-o.blogspot.co.uk/

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to Beesuit

    Hi Dani, 

    Thanks for getting back to me, I really appreciate it! Lovely to connect with others. I seem to be in quite a minority situation...my medical team are unsure how this has happened as I don't smoke excessively or have any family history of it. I've drank a lot from a young age, so I'm wondering if that could be a factor. However it does seem like a bit of an anomaly situation. Most who suffer from it are 50+ and often male. My treatment has luckily been really good and they have been doing regular endoscopes and CT scans. Luckily I think my stats seem positive going forward as they managed to get decent margins on my vocal chords and removed the rest of the pre-cancerious cells! The actual cancerous cells were found after I had an initial laser surgery to remove what we thought were benign polyps on my vocal chords. 

    I'm going to go back to the UK this year I think to be with family. It's been hard being away. Can I ask, how has your aftercare been on the NHS? I'm going to have to go back and explain my situation to them. Thanks so much for your support and guidance :) 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to RadioactiveRaz

    Hi Raz, no problem I really appreciate your reply regardless! What treatment did they do for your affected lymph nodes? Happy to hear you are doing well now :) 

  • Hi Hannah I was blasted with radiotherapy and chemo that killed the cancer cells in my lymph nodes and melted away my right tonsil. They didn’t operate as the standard gold treatment on U.K. is chemo radiation plus one if my lymph nodes was closed ti my spine at back of neck. As for after care with n h s I can’t fault them. Even during covid ok I’ve had to chase appointments but when I’ve needed to be seen I’ve been seen. I had E NT appointment late November and was scoped? Then was seen by oncologist on January. So has long as you are prepared to be pro active once you’re back in U.K. you should  be fine. 
    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

    2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers 

    https://www.instagram.com/merckhealthcare/reel/DBs8Y0niJ8N/

  • I'm going to go back to the UK this year I think to be with family. It's been hard being away. Can I ask, how has your aftercare been on the NHS? I'm going to have to go back and explain my situation to them. Thanks so much for your support and guidance :) 

    Hi Hannah. The NHS is hit and miss depending where you are. I have had absolutely no problem with either of my two consultants but then I am in the system already and three years later still in the care of the same medical team that took care of me right from pre diagnosis. I’ve been seen promptly whenever Ive had an issue outside of normal routine appointments. 
    My advice would be to set up your follow up before you return. Can your team liaise with one here? It also helps if you can register with a cancer centre rather than a general hospital. 
    I hope that helps 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to MikeO

    Hi Mike, thanks so much for replying. Nice to meet you. I've just had a look at your blog so I could follow your journey so far. Do you have a stoma or other ways to speak? I'm happy it's done the trick so far! 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to RadioactiveRaz

    Hi Hazel. Thats great to hear, I'm glad your aftercare has been good and that you've had a positive experience. Yep I'm hoping if i'm proactive and have all my documents I should be ok! Thanks for your help :)