Hi Everyone...
I'm new to this board. This is my first posting. My husband found out on Nov.6 that he has early stage 3 tonsil cancer in the right tonsil (T3N1M0). He's a non-smoker, non-drinker, and 47 years old..and in perfect health other than the cancer....so we're still in shock at this point. After talking to many people and doctors we chose Univ. of Miami Sylvester because we've been told they deal with many head and neck cancers. It's taken us a couple weeks to get the appointment but yesterday we met with the radiation oncologist from Sylvester for the first time. Even with the cancer appearing on only the right tonsil side, they suggest using radiation on both the right and left just to make sure the cancer had not spread to the left side. Is this something that is normally done? They also want my husband to take low, once a week doses of chemo (cisplatin along with 2 other drugs) and they suggest no PEG tube because of the chances of infection and so that he continues to swallow. My husband fears the chemo because he's read about chemo brain (and chemo fog) and he is the only one that financially supports our family (I'm a stay-at-home mom with a 6yr. old girl and 3 yr.old boy) so right now he's trying to decide what is best for him and the family. They don't plan on any surgery unless they don't catch all the cancer with the radiation and chemo. We could really use some good advice on this. We know the clock is ticking and we need to make decisions quickly. Thanks for your help. ...Amy