Back to Prof. Winter

 

He is impressed by my questions but doesn't have the answers for me yet, so we plan to have a pre-op investigation so they can build a plan to tackle this tumour (btw its 21mm at the base of the back of my tongue, and has spread to my lymph node in the front of my neck), its complex, difficult to get at. I also have a PET CT scan booked  so they can see if this has gone anywhere else, the thought is that its still just within my neck, but, they obviously want to check this

So I get booked in for the investigative op for the 9th April 2025, it's a very short procedure a day case so no real stress. I feel that I am in good hands and he will tell me as it is, no flowery bullshit! I am now pleased we are moving in a positive direction

Back home my boys and girl don't take their eye's of me

So here we have Sherlock the Basset at the back, Molly the latest  addition to our family of dogs and Jackson our Frenchie at the front  there. Jackson is a proper fighter and I will take a leaf out of his book, had loads of spinal problems, sciatica and a blown vein in his hips, but he gets on with life, if he was in the military he would be special forces, tough and determined and we love him and the other guys dearly 

So, I have a week to wait for this procedure where we'll find out more and what the next steps are. The great thing is Prof. Winter has remembered to look at the options also for immunotherapy and the surgical options of open surgery and/or robotics

Here's the difference, open surgery means breaking my jaw, opening my neck up and removing the tumour, a 12-15 hour surgery and loads of recovery probably 3 weeks in hospital and 3-6 months recovery, with loads of rehabilitation.

Transoral surgery or robotics (TORS) is in through the mouth, 4-5 hours surgery, 3 to 4 days in hospital and a much shorter recovery and rehabilitation

Both options are complex procedures that I can't take lightly, but they are the only options I have. 

Why not radiotherapy? As I have had this already to cure my previous cancer and because of the close proximity they cannot risk this as the Gy count needed is over the allowance for re-radiating the same area, also it can lead to the fatal blowing of your carotid, which as mentioned already has needed a stent due to the probable damage caused by me previous round of radio. 

What is the Gy count: In radiotherapy, the "Gy count" refers to the total amount of radiation dose administered, measured in Grays (Gy). This dose is typically delivered in fractions, meaning smaller doses given over multiple treatments, rather than one large dose. my dosage was Gy70 32 fractions.

Chemotherapy, we apparently this cancer doesn't respond to chemo so again this option is off the table. An alternative and an additional option if the cancer isn't curable is immunotherapy, and they will send off the biopsy to test the bio-markers as to whether that is an option for me later