Hello,
I just came across this site/message board and this is my first post. I'm still trying to sort out all the terminology. Here's how this has unfolded.
Early December 2006 my wife mentioned a lump on the right side of her neck just below the ear. The lump was noticeable and we decided to "watch" it for a few days and see if it went away. My wife had no symptoms at all After a few days the lump had not changed and we went to see our family doctor who prescribed Levaquin for ten days. After completing the antibiotic there was no change in the lump and we went back to the family doc.
We were then sent to a surgeon for a biopsy. The surgeon said this looked like something an ENT specialist should look at so we got referred to an ENT.
The ENT ordered a CT scan to see if the lump was in a salivary gland or a lymph node. CT scan came back and showed the lump was an enlarged lymph node (3.5 cm x 3.2 cm x 1.5 cm).The ENT then did a needle aspiration biopsy. After a few days the ENT said the needle biopsy was inconclusive and the lymph node had to be removed.
On 2/12/07 they removed the lymph node. My wife did very well and went home the same day. Prior to the surgery the ENT said there was a 50-50 chance it would be lymphoma.
Two days ago (2/20) I took my wife back to get her stiches out and we got the biopsy results. Biopsy came back and showed a non small cell metastatic carcinoma. This was not what we expected because the needle biopsy had been negative, but the ENT said it may have been a case where the sample he took could have been from good tissue. He then put a fiberoptic scope down her nose and found a small (?) 1 cm squamous cell carcinoma on the right side of her epiglottis. The ENT said that we should probably expect 7 wks radiation, five times per week as well as the possibility of some chemo, but that the two oncologists he was referring her to would decide.
Next step will be a PET scan (we are awaiting approval). On Monday we have an appointement with a Medical Onc. as well as a Radiation Onc. That's the reader's digest version of what has happened to my wife in the last two and a half months. (Sorry to be so long winded.)
After trying to do as much search as possible, it appears that the cure is maybe worse than the disease. Some of the posts here make the treatment sound absolutely ghoulish and horrible. Any advice would be helpful. Any input on what questions to ask the oncologists would be really helpful. I think I know most of the questions I'd like to get answers on but input would sure help. Any good websites for answers? The stuff available on the web is overwhelming. Thank you.