vocal chord cancer (T1) laser treatment, need advice

Have had laser surgery in sept for early vocal chord t1 cancer and was told it was successful but a month ago I had a check up which revealed there has been a reacurrance ( though only small and on the surface) so have had more laser surgery in the hope that will do the trick as the surgeon says its too small to warrant radiotherapy. Has anyone else had this kind of treatment and is this usual?( reacurrance and more lasering). I'm very concerned that this treatment may not be working or that cancer may keep coming back, resulting in radiotherapy and the possibility of eventually loosing my voice box. I know its early days and I'm probably worrying too much but would be very grateful if there is anyone out there who can comment on this.

Parents
  • Hi Zarker

    I had severe displacia of the vocal chords around 5 years ago and was told that I needed laser treatment immediately as it "was very close to cancer". I had laser treatment a few times and had to have biopsies done around every 2 - 3 months but in my case it had gone too deep so they could only laser the surface and it kept coming back. If you are a smoker you should give it up immediately as my consultant told me to avoid smoke at all costs.

    I went on to have larygneal cancer but I was stage T2-3 when I was eventually diagnosed. I was successfully treated with radiotherapy 28 months ago and touch wood everything is fine and my voice is better than it's been for years.

    On a positive note they are closely monitoring you and as you are at a very early stage hopefully they will be able to get rid of it with laser treatment alone.

    I wish you well and hope that the next laser treatment will be the end of it.

    Marion x

  • Hi Marion ,

    Thanks very much for your reply it was most helpful. I hope you don't mind me asking but how long was it from when they found displacia to you being diagnosed with laryngeal cancer? As this is what I think may be happening to me. They said inicially It could be treated with laser alone and after my last laser treatment yesterday that the return was on the surface only and did not warrant rdiotherapy at the moment and he had done deeper biopsys which he says hes sure arn't cancerous. This has as you know been a very difficult time for me as i'm so scared of loosing my voice or having to have a laryngectomy which I've been told is unlikely. i'm reassured to know that after your treatment your voice is now good. Thank you again and I hope you continue to do well. Andy

    p,s gave up smoking 5 years ago and after this will never go back to it!

  • Hi Michael

    Thanks for your reply. It's great that you are talking to people in a similar situation as it always helps to talk to someone who knows exactly what you are going through.

    I'll let you know how I get on with my next appointment on 28 July.

    Love Marion x

  • Hi Marion. Chris,

    Just thought i'd drop you a line to say I'm going in tomorrow for my micro endoscopy so keeping my fingers crossed they won't find the cancers come back and they don't have to do too much lasering. I guess they will do some biopsy's. Will let you know how I get on. Hope you are both well and hope all is going well with your RT Chris.

    Best wishes

    Andy

  • Hi Andy/Chris

    Good luck tomorrow, let me know how you get on. I'm off to New York with my son (who had testicular cancer last year) on Wednesday morning but I'll log on when I get back on the 26th.

    Fingers crossed you wil be fine!

    Chris, hope you are doing OK and let us know how you're getting on.

    Love Marion x

  • Thanks Marion,

    Have a great time in the big apple!

  • Hi Found out my husband had Vocal cord cancer ( T1) last week and have since spent a lot of time on this site and have read all this discussion i would like to say a huge thank you to Mariontaylor, Joeninty, Zarker and Chris77.We needed to know what was likely to happen and through reading this honest account of your lives feel we have a better ubnderstanding of what may lie ahead. I dont think you realise just how helpfull you are thank you. i know we are just starting down a long long road but we are lucky that my husbands cancer is so small they are lasering it soon and hope for a full recovery. thank you for all your honest stories that have been so informative. my heart goes out to every one on this site whether you are a sufferer or just someone you know is suffering.

    god bless

  • Hi Andy

    I'm back although feeling very jet lagged back at work after arriving late last night! Had a fantastic time in the Big Apple and now have the statue of Liberty as my wallpaper on my phone (sad)!

    How are you? Please let me know how you got on last week.

    Love Marion x

  • HI Marion,

    Glad you had a good time in NY, I love it there. Had my laser procedure a week ago, so still feeling a little tender and voice is v hoarse ( whats new!) and they did some more laser and biopsy's. I have a strong feeling its not good news. Since I had a the laser I have been sent for another neck and chest CT scan today, the resluts of which I won't get till tomorrow and I had an ultra sound on my neck which fortunately seems to indicate there are no lumps and my lymph nodes aren't swollen.

    I rang the macmillan nurse who works with my consultant yesterday and she seemed to indicate between the lines that they may have found something else and that I may need to have RT. This is all hearsay at the moment as my follow up appt isn't till tomorrow but I think this is what they will say as all the tests seems to have been done super quick.

    Its really disappointing as I was so hoping there wouldn't have been a reacurrance, still I guess I have to wait till tomorrow to be told for sure.

    Regards

    Andy

  • Hi Luckyus

    You've probably seen that I've been away for a few days so have only just seen your kind message, it was so nice of you to write. It's great to hear that our postings have helped in some way as I tend to forget that others are reading them as well!

    I'm so sorry to hear about your husband but I'm sure he will be fine as it's at a very early stage. If you're ever worried about anything please get in touch as I check this site regularly.

    Take care and let us know how your husband is getting on.

    Love Marion

  • Hi Andy

    Poor you, I know only too well what you are going through. Before I got my results I was send an appointment for a MRI head and neck scan and then a CT scan for my thorax so I knew before my appointment that it wouldn't be good news but it could all be routine and they might just be checking.

    Roll on tomorrow, at least you will know what you may have to deal with and if you do need RT at least you will be able to get rid of it once and for all. Try not to get too down - easier said than done I know.

    I'll be posting tomorrow to see how you get on - good luck!

    Love Marion x

  • Hi there,

    I'm sorry to hear of your husbands cancer but glad to hear our posts have helped. When your first told you don't quite know where to turn thats why I decided to post and see if there was anyone else going through the same thing. As you can see fortunately people did respond and its been a huge source of support to all of us as people on the outside don't always understand what we are going through, Marion and Chris have been especially helpful.

    It sounds like your husbands cancer is at a very early stage and can be successfully treated with laser and he will be monitored carefully through out. As you can see from our stories its not always an easy ride and there are lots of ups and downs along the way. Its always best to remember that this disease affects everyone differently and while its useful to know what might happen in one person may not be the case for the other so don't be too disheartened by our stories, hopefully soon there will be light at the end of the tunnel for all of us as there has been for Marion. In the meantime if you want any information or just a chat don't hesitate to ask.

    Regards

    Andy

Reply
  • Hi there,

    I'm sorry to hear of your husbands cancer but glad to hear our posts have helped. When your first told you don't quite know where to turn thats why I decided to post and see if there was anyone else going through the same thing. As you can see fortunately people did respond and its been a huge source of support to all of us as people on the outside don't always understand what we are going through, Marion and Chris have been especially helpful.

    It sounds like your husbands cancer is at a very early stage and can be successfully treated with laser and he will be monitored carefully through out. As you can see from our stories its not always an easy ride and there are lots of ups and downs along the way. Its always best to remember that this disease affects everyone differently and while its useful to know what might happen in one person may not be the case for the other so don't be too disheartened by our stories, hopefully soon there will be light at the end of the tunnel for all of us as there has been for Marion. In the meantime if you want any information or just a chat don't hesitate to ask.

    Regards

    Andy

Children
  • Hi Andy

    Thank you for your kind reply, i have gone on this site every day since we found out. in perticular this post ( as it was so relevant) i am a get the knowledge person and my husband puts his head in the sand ony asking me the odd question.

    Although he is at the very early stage and i am so gratefull it was diagnosed early i do realise we are on a long long road for a few years now. and through reading this post i have gained so much knowledge about the treatments.

    Thanks again

    Lucky us

  • Really glad to hear we have been of some help. The last few days have been difficult and your posts have cheered me up, just knowing that someone else has benefitted from what we write here, its good to see something positive has come from it. Please feel free to read the posts and comment and keep us up to date on your husbands progress.

    All the best

    Andy