what is standard of care for tonsil

my husband finished treatment for stage 2 tonsil cancer(no lymph nodes) on Sept. 11. 2009.  he did not have a peg tube.   amazingly he is back to eating just about anything, even steak.  he chews a little bit longer and washes it down with a drink but he's eating it.  he had 35 rads and 3 cisplatin.  rad onc says no signs, throat looks good and so did ent.  my question is he went to see the chemo oncologist today.  he didn't see her he saw her nurse practioner.  she told him his cat scan was all clear, lungs head, everything,  then she asked him if he had been scheduled for his other chemo treatments.  he had no clue what she was talking about.  the dr. said nothing about additional treatments in the beginning.  i don't think he should do it.  i think they are just trying to cover their buts.  we don't like the chemo dr. anyway.  the nurse pract told him it was just the "standard of care".  he is worried they are not telling him something.  i don't think it is the case , i think just a liability issue.  i'm really pissed at the doctor, if this was the standard of care then they should told him at the beginning of treatment. not a month and a half after treatment. any thoughts on this would be appreciated. 

                                                           thanks

                                                              kim

I had base of tongue (lingual tonsil) cancer with 1 lymph node.......had neck dissection and 35 rad treatments...no chemo.  Everything looks and tests great......I'm over one year out.  Who knows........no one ever even mentioned chemo....................and I went to several doctors...and got great care.  I would get a second opinion...sounds very fishy!

Steph

Hi Kim,

That's good news about your husband! The same kind of thing happened to me after my treatment. I went in for an appointment with my med onc and he wasn't there. The sub that I saw looked at my chart and mentioned another round of chemo. I freaked out! When my real doctor came back from wherever he was a few days later I spoke to him and he said that his sub was mistaken and I was not supposed to get another round, much to my delight. I hope this is the case with your husband.

As far as I was told with my treatment, the chemo was more or less there to make the radiation more effective. I was Stage IV so they hit me with some pretty big guns but when it was over it was over. You may want to check with your husband's doctor before you get too excited about the possibility of another round. I can certainly understand the concern.You don't want to get any more of that stuff than necessary.

Good Luck!

Joe

Hi Joe 

can you tell me the process after surgery ... my dad is also at stage 4 , i just wanted to make sure what i can do to help him go thru this a little bit more easier and more comfortable ... i know that this is tough.. but i love my dad so much and can't stand to see him miserable .. thank you so much 

he will have radiation possible chemo 

I'm sorry but I really don't have any info on surgery as I didn't have it. One of my necrotic lymph nodes was considered inoperable so they never did a neck dissection. Now radiation and chemo, I know that stuff only too well.

Good Luck!

Joe

FWIW, I had stage III with one lymph node involved. I had the same treatment your husband did. I was told by my docs at the outset that chemo was optional, but that it would improve my chances by about 20 percent. I opted for it.

There was never any mention of any additional chemo. I did follow the chemo and rads with a modified radical neck dissection to get rid of that pesky node, but that wouldn't be an issue in your hubby's case.

--Jim in Delaware

My dad went and get 2nd opinion at CITY OF HOPES and they told him that his mass was 3.5cm and not operatable at this time , they will start radiation/chemo 1st .. if that look good and shrink down the mass he won't have to go thru surgery .. i'm praying that he won't have to go thru surgery ... as far as radiation/chemo side effect .. what medication to take or use to make him feel a little bit more comfortable .. please give me info. thank you so much