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Tongue Cancer: What are my treatment options?
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Apr 27 12:04pm | Replies (93)Comment receiving replies
Hello, I start chemo/radiation on Tuesday the 25th for HPV -16 cancer at the base of my tongue. Surgery was not an option because of the size of the tumor. Only as recently as Monday the 18th have I had any real discomfort as the tumor feels like it’s become larger in my throat. I’ll receive 35 days of radiation w/ chemotherapy once a week.
Similar to your cancer? If so, how effective was the chemotherapy (i.e. was the tumor noticeably reduced in size after any specific treatment? How long before the radiation really affected your ability to swallow? When did you have the feeding tube installed?
Thanks,
Joe S
Replies to "Hello, I start chemo/radiation on Tuesday the 25th for HPV -16 cancer at the base of..."
@jem284, how are you doing your first few days into treatment?
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Hello, Joe. Sorry about your diagnosis of cancer, but I will say this form of cancer has a high rate of survival after treatments.
Yes, I had HPV related cancer in the base of my tongue as well. My tongue tumor was small, so we couldn't detect a difference in size going through the treatments until I had my CT scan after treatments. However, I also had the cancer in one of my lymph nodes on my neck, and this tumor was quite large. I opted for induction chemotherapy (6 weeks of chemo) before I had my regular 35 treatments of radiation and chemo. After maybe three chemo sessions, I saw a noticeable reduction in the size of my neck tumor. By the time I started radiation, I could not detect a difference between my other neck lymph node that did not have detectable cancer and my lymph node that had the tumor.
My ability to swallow really started after 3 weeks of radiation. That is also when I noticed an increase in mucus in my throat that was very challenging. Unfortunately, it gets worse as radiation continues and also for about three weeks after the last treatment. For me, by the time I reached the 5th week, I could not swallow without choking, so I couldn't eat or drink. I was so weak that I ended up in the hospital where I received intervenes fluids and the feeding tube implanted. Really, I wish I had the feeding tube implanted much sooner. If I had, I would have no doubt avoided the hospital stay and would have felt much better. I hope this helps.
Brian C.