Surgery update

  • 3 replies
  • 37 subscribers
  • 190 views

Good morning all, 

I met with my consultant yesterday following my tonsillectomy and tongue base mucosectomy 10 days ago. The primary site for the cancer was found, with it being in the right tonsil that was removed.

My consultant laid out a few options for me around the next steps i.e chemoradiation with no planned surgery on the neck nodes or surgery to take a slightly bigger margin from the area around where the tonsil was, neck dissection to remove the two nodes and follow this up with at least radiotherapy or chem/radio combined. I’m leaning towards surgery first and then treatment after.

I have to meet with the oncology team and my consultant again next week, with surgery likely to take place some time in September.

I am still experiencing some pain and discomfort following the tonsillectomy. 10 days on and I feel like it’s improving but eating and drinking is definitely a challenge and I’ve dropped a good few pounds recently. My wife and I bought a Vitamix blender yesterday to try and help liquify things to get calories into me, hopefully this helps.

i have never met with an oncologist before, any suggestions on what I could/should ask?

thanks

Chris

  • Glad they have found it.  My personal preference was to go down the surgical route first.  In the end having undertaken all the reasonable surgical options I ended up with CRT as well.

    The tonsils should get less painful very soon.  Of course you will go through it all again with the surgery, but you will be prepared.  Try to get back onto normal foods ASAP, but the liquidiser will come in useful during RT.  I also found shop ready meals easier than home cooked food - they blend things down much more.

    Peter
    See my profile for more details of my convoluted journey
  • Hi Chris. 
    My cancer at the back of the tongue was inoperable so I was treated with just RT. Hazel  had seven lymph nodes involved but no neck dissection either. We are both five years plus clear. 
    I see Peter has popped on and said he would and did prefer surgery first. 
    What I would ask your oncologist is what is the likely out come of both options and would surgery reduce the amount of radiation you will be getting. 
    For me I can’t see the point if  RT is going to be the same. I was told that the RT would take care of any lymph nodes. 
    That is what you should ask. 
    Ask how invasive the dissection would be as there are different levels of excision. 
    Take somebody with you to be an extra pair of eyes and ears and take notes. 
    Make sure everything is explained. 
    Good luck and let us know how you get on. 

    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 

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

    Community Champion badge
  • Hi, Chris, I think it puts people in a real dilemma when given options to choose from, especially when getting your head around the whole thing is so difficult. I wasn't given a choice of treatment, they told me what they wanted to do, so I was quite happy to put myself in their hands, I did however want them to throw everything they could at it, in order to get rid of it. Try and get all the information from the team as you can, by asking as many questions as possible, so you can make a more informed choice. I wish you luck whichever way you go. Stick with us, we are here to help if we can

    Ray.