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Liver metastasis after oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC)
I finished treatment for OPSCC (base of tongue + bilateral LN) 4 months ago. PET scan shows the throat cancer is gone but now I have on small metastasis on my liver and they want to start Keytruda. Does anyone have any experience with this?
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Well, the honeymoon is over. My “cancer-free” status only lasted a few weeks. I recently had a brain/head/neck/chest/abdomen/pelvis CT scan and got the results yesterday. New metastases I. The lymph nodes of the aortocaval, portal and peri-celiac region. I start Keytruda therapy on Monday. Wish me luck.
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3 ReactionsI also had Squamous cell carcinoma in my neck and base of tongue. 8+ hour surgery to remove it. Had 15 double doses of radiation. Then mine also move to my liver. 5 radiation treatment for that. Just started Keytruda 2 weeks ago. So far so good!
but I have been suffering from dehydration and now am getting stomach spasms that are as painful as labor pains. Anyone have advice on dehydration after radiation???
@scottmcf1431, how is it going with Keytruda?
@jon6063, the spasms from dehydration sound painful. Are you not able to drink enough water?
@colleenyoung
Thanks for asking Colleen. So far, so good. Just one dose so far, but no side effects to date.
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1 Reaction@scottmcf1431 So sorry to hear this. I am 14 years out from original SCC in my ear. Metastatic starting 18 months after original surgery, rad,chemo. Two lung surgeries and one met removed from muscle sheath, followed by mets in kidney and lymph nodes in 2020. Because mine was skin origin, I started on Libtayo, which works the same pathway as Keytruda. After 2 years on it all cancer was gone. I have been off for 3 years and still clear scans ( knocking on wood). These immunotherapies can be successful, and sometimes the side effects are very survivable. I hope you find good results from Keytruda. Don't give up hope. New treatments are always on the horizon.
@jon6063 If you cannot keep yourself hydrated then you need help from your medical team. Perhaps some outpatient IV fluids or a stomach tube if swallowing is a problem. I imagine that you are trying electrolyte solutions orally, as sometimes they work better than water.
A family member just finished his radiation/chemo for throat cancer and his team had him on
IV fluids 3 times a week as a preventative to dehydration. He still needed to be hospitalized for a few days when that wasn't enough. Now he has a stomach tube temporarily and staying hydrated is less of a problem. Has your medical team addressed the hydration issue for you?