Second Surgery Pathology Report

My ENT spoke with me over the phone yesterday to give me the results of the pathology from my surgery.  It was nice that he didn't make me drive in to get the results since it's an hour drive to get there and our conversation lasted less than 10 minutes.

He said the pathology results came back positive for squamous cell carcinoma in the lingual tonsil tissue.  There were two foci of scc; one 4 mm and the other 6 mm.  He said they were very small.  I  wanted some scale so I looked up the average size of a green pea and found it to be 7.4 mm, so these were smaller than the size of a pea.  I consider the fact that they found the cancer very good news.  Now the somewhat bad news.

They were near the edge of the tissue that was removed.  He said if they were at the center of the mass that was removed I would be done because that would mean he had plenty of margins to be confident that no cancer cells were remaining.  However, due to the fact that they're near the edge, he's pretty confident that there are some microscopic cancer cells remaining.  He said that my body may take care of the remaining cancer cells during the healing process, but he can't be sure that will happen.  So he's recommending moving forward with radiation and also chemotherapy albeit a mild form of chemo that has very few side effects.

Actually, I'm kind of glad he's recommending radiation and chemo.  I'm not sure I would be so confident with just a surgery.  Mostly because I got that stuff going on around my Adam's Apple, even though it may be related to the surgery's I've had.  By doing the radiation and chemo it gives me that extra bit of confidence that we're not missing any straggling cancer cells.  I want to make sure this thing is wiped out to oblivion!

Also because I recently signed up for Imerman Angels, a support network where cancer patients can speak with a mentor who's survived the same type cancer they have.  I spoke with my angel about a week before surgery who's been a survivor for 15 years now.  She was a nurse at the time and was very aggressive with her cancer.  She told her doctor she wanted the strongest radiation and chemo because she too wanted to be 100% sure it was gone.  I don't know if I want to go that far, her cancer was a little different after all and it was 16 years ago so I'm sure things have changed.  But I'm happy with my plan and I think it should be thorough enough.

I've already contacted my radiation oncologist and heard back from his medical assistant.  I have an appointment first thing Monday morning where we'll have a brief meeting on what they found and where and what the treatment will entail.  I also let them know about my ENT's recommendation for chemo.  The MA said that they have an oncologist right next door.

(I didn't realize that an oncologist is the doctor that administers chemotherapy drugs until I just looked it up now.  I already have an oncologist, but I spoke with him right before my surgery and he himself went in for surgery two days after I did and told me he'll be out for six weeks.  That and the fact that this new oncologist will be part of the same Medical Center, for more fluent information exchange, and right next to my radiation oncologist it just makes sense to switch.)

Anyway, the MA of my RO is going to bring my file over to the oncologist next door and have them contact me for an appointment to get everything coordinated.  So, I keep moving forward.

I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to start treatment.  I believe my ENT originally said two weeks after surgery and two weeks will be next Tuesday.  There some setup involved and I think they need to get approval from my insurance.  So I'm guessing I'll probably start in a couple weeks.  I know how long appointment sometimes take so I wanted to get the ball rolling.  So if I start just after Christmas I'll be done by February sometime.

I still have significant discomfort in my throat when swallowing and talking and I'm on a soft food diet until Monday.  Can't wait til Monday!!  All the six-dollar burger and pizza commercials are killing me.  Lol.

Yesterday I stopped my pain meds, mostly because I ran out, but was pleased to discover that I didn't really need them anymore.  I don't really like having to take medications if I don't have to.  Not sure if there are actually people that do, but maybe so.  Wouldn't surprise me.

Oh, I also checked my weight this morning and hit 150.  That kinda hit me hard.  My caloric intake hasn't been what it should be but I'm not beating myself up over it.  I've been doing my best with recovering and all.  But 150 is where it stops.  With radiation and chemo coming up I'm bound to lose weight with the expected loss of appetite so my goal now is to start regain those lost pounds.  I need to be aggressive with increasing my caloric intake.  Just need to hold on til Monday!! ;)