Hi,
First time posting and recently diagnosed with suspected head and neck cancer. I'm a 51 year male and in early January this year I noticed a lump appeared on the right hand side of my neck. No other symptoms and feeling completely normal and healthy. After getting this checked at the Doctors I was referred for a ultrasound scan at which time they noted the lump in my neck to be an abnormal lymph node and they also took a needle biopsy. After a couple of weeks I was given an appointment with ENT consultant who confirmed the biopsy showed a 5cm Level 2 Node and squamous cell carcinoma which is P16 negative. I have a PET scan on Sunday 3rd and MRI scan On Monday 4th with note stating provisionally booked for pharyngoscopy and bilateral tonsillectomy. After a camera down the nose/throat nothing abnormal noted so primary cancer not yet located. Chest x ray came back normal yesterday with no issues noted.
Since been given this information 10 Days ago the fear and worry has been all consuming I was struggling emotionally to talk about my diagnosis my appetite disappeared completely and sleeping was a near impossibility although as more days pass I am improving and managing to eat although more because I need to than wanting to.
The scans this week cant come soon enough to hopefully get a clearer picture of what is happening and what the future holds for me. The waiting and the fear of the unknown is the hardest thing and the feeling of dread and Knots in my stomach jus aren't going away.
I will keep updating as I know more.
P
Hi Dimitris
Welcome from me too.
At least things are moving fast. You’re in the good and experienced hands of a team that do this every day.
Likely the primary will be in your tonsils and they will find it.
Gold standard treatment for this cancer is radiotherapy and chemotherapy. There are a few different regimes and you will feel better once these are explained.
All your biopsy and scan results will be discussed by a diverse medical, surgical and support team called a multidisciplinary team MDT after which you’re likely to be called in. Biopsy results from your surgery should be through two to four weeks after your op. Don’t fret if they are a little longer. A few weeks won’t make any difference to your prognosis ( which is good, by the way)
A word of warning. Tonsillectomy in the adult is pretty painful for around a fortnight. Make sure you go home with decent analgesia and take it by the clock.
I‘ll echo other's comments about Google. Leave it alone for now. Ask here or your CNS.
Best wishes.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
A question I would like to ask if anyone could answer is that if no primary cancer has been found yet and scans getting done over the next few days then is it just standard procedure to remove the tonsils as at no point do I recall anybody mentioning or suspecting the tonsils to be a possible primary source.
But it very often is. Thats why they remove the tonsils and biopsy them. If they find no cancer there are options to discuss.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
