Hi all,
Ok, I am looking some advice. I was diagnosed with cancer in right tonsil & tumour right side of neck. I’ve never been told the TNM staging or even been shown a scan so not sure what stage it was at. I just remember being told it was treatable as it was HPV related. Anyway, I was to get 30 radio & 6 chemo but was then told they’d be happy with 4 chemo. So I’ve done 25 radio so far but have only managed 2 chemo as it made me so sick. The oncologist called round yesterday & said they weren’t going to give any more chemo as it was making me so ill. It was only when she left that I thought I should have asked her would this affect how well the radio worked & should I be worried that the treatment wouldn’t get rid of the tumour. Has anyone had the same cancer experience that could put my mind at ease. I’m stuck in hospital now 2 weeks & counting & my head’s spinning with doubt. Thankyou all in advance.
Maureen
Hi Maureen. I avoided chemo because I was stage two ( nothing in my lymph nodes)
I was taking to my oncologist a few weeks ago in a routine review. We had a look at all my scans and I had a good tour round the back of my throat via the nasoendoscope.
I asked why I never had chemotherapy and he told me that stage two is the cut off so stage three onwards you get chemo.
He also said that the most recent research shows that the chemo increases the cure rate by 6.5%. You’ve had two one third so you’re only losing 4%. Cure rates are high at over 90% anyway.
There’s the stats ….. useful sometimes.
Lots of people don’t have the full chemo course. It’s the RT that’s important.
Ask your CNS or one if the ward doctors for your tumour staging. It will be in your notes. It might be on you Patient Portal too.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below
https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com
