Alien update (I)

 January 26, 2010

Went to Dana Farber Cancer Institute today.  My lovely niece, a pediatric oncologist at DFCI/Childrens Hospital, set up the appointment with her choice of throat cancer team.  I saw a fellow, then - all at once - an oncologist, radiation specialist, and surgeon.  When my throat got probed, it was probed four times.  When they stuck the hose up my nose and down into my throat, there were four docs looking at the display and saying "a little more to the...".  Then the four doctors went into a room with all the prior imaging I brought and worked out a treatment plan.

First, the oncologist believes the tumor was caused by the HPV virus.  I don't smoke or drink, there is no collateral damage in my throat.  HPV will be confirmed by examining the biopsy tissue.  

I will not need the 9-14 hour surgery.  I was geared and ready to go.  Now I can take a breath and prepare for:

Imaging this week, then

6-8 weeks of chemo.  I have lousy veins (take after my Dad), so they will put a port in on Monday, start chemo on Tuesday (Happy Birthday! truly.)

After chemo, new imaging, from which a plan for

7 weeks (35 sessions M-F) of radiation.  Likely feeding tube as swallowing will become quite difficult and my mouth & throat will be a wreck, though I need to keep the swallow muscles working.  Good news though - I won't need to shave my head.

We feel a lot lighter today.  The first opinion from the surgeon was guarded with subtle warnings of a poor prognosis.  If it's HPV based, the success rate is 80-90% and he said something about 92% with certain conditions at Dana Farber.

So I'm not out of the woods yet, but not caught in quicksand without a rope.

Thanks all for your love, support, and comfort...   you are beyond words...

Love...

Richard