Squamous Cell Vulvar Cancer: Who out there has this cancer?

@stolisnc30, how did your appointment with your doctor go? Did you decide to have additional surgery? Any clinical trials an option for you?

@cjp930, when will you start radiation and chemotherapy? Will they be done at the same time (concurrent)?

I start May 8. Will have chemo & radiation that day. Radiation the rest of the week. This will be schedule for 5 weeks.

Hi @cjp930 I decided to do the clinical trial. (Groins v iii) Neither treatment was better than the other so I went will the less invasive. I'll keep you posted on how things are going.

Our bodies are all different so we need to do what we feel is best for us. Please do keep me posted. Prayers & positive thoughts to you.

@cjp930 So for 5 weeks you’ll have chemo and radiation on the first day of the week and then just radiation for the rest of the week? Is that how it will work? It’s an arduous schedule. When I had radiation (no chemo) for 5 weeks for endometrial cancer I decided to make “me” a first priority and do whatever I could to take care of myself. I did not have children at home and I have a partner who is very self-sufficient so I could do that. Can you do something like that too? Or let others take care of you?

@stolisnc30 That is a good plan. Do you know when you will start and how long the clinical trial will be?

Hi @naturegirl5
I start 5/4. It’s 5 weeks of radiation 5 days a week and chemo once a week. They follow you for about 2 years. This trial is the next phase of another trial that showed promise. I’ll keep you all posted.

Yes that's the schedule. The chemo will be a lower dose to help the radiation work. My husband will be by my side during all this & is a super help. I'm hoping for minimal side effects of nausea, radiation burns, and the bowel problems but am sure no one escapes without any. Praying my body is one that can tolerate this. Thank you for the advice...self care SO important.

@cjp930 I just read a study where stress is greatly reduced (as measured by cortisol levels) in an experiment where some subjects held the hand of their partner in a committed relationship vs. Held the hand of someone they didn’t know vs. No hand holding. Holding hands with the partner in a committed relationship showed the most reduction of cortisol. So….with your husband at your side? There is scientific evidence that this will be helpful. But you both already knew that, right? He won’t be in the room during your radiation treatments but I’m assuming he can be there during the chemo infusions.

Let me know how the treatments are for you, OK?