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Which treatment is best?

kes01
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Hi

My partner has just been diagnosed with cancer in one tonsil.  Although the tonsil is very large, there is no evidence of it spreading in the local area and the lungs are clear although 3 lymph nodes in the neck are slightly enlarged.

We have been offered a choice of treatments: an operation (possibly followed by radiotherapy or radiotherapy and chemo) OR radiotherapy (possibly followed by an operation and/or chemo).

We were told either option could give us a cure which, of course, gives us hope but we are both still a bit in shock and need to make a decision sooner rather than later.

The surgeon said that long term problems from an operation were unlikely and both options could have unpleasant and difficult short term side effects.

Just wondered if anyone could give us any advice or suggest any other considerations that would help us to make the choice please.

Very many thanks

Kes

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    Hi Kes

    Cant help with the specific Cancer but the fact that your partner has been offered options is of course a difficult decision to make. 

    I would  make a list of benefits and side effects for each option and then you could weigh them up.  This would also show where you needed more information.

    Hope someone who has had this can come along and give you more information.

    River

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    hi kes

    Ive had treatment for of cancer of the neck and throat and parotid gland. The surgery a radical neck dissection is soon overcome but you are left with some nerve damage so you cant feel part of your neck and nerves that are involved in eating swallowing, and facial movements like smiling and speech can be affected along with those that work some shoulder muscles. However all this can be overcome with excercises and its possible to live ok with it. I havent had chemotherapy but the sides effects are short lived when the course is over. The radiotherapy is by far the worst part of the treatment and has permanent side effects. The radiotherapy treatment causes great difficulty swallowing, eating and drinking, a sore throat like you have been scalded, skin burns to the neck and sore dry mouth. You may need a peg in your stomach to get nutrition. The side effects which are permanent are a dry mouth, loss of elasticity of tongue, neck and throat muscles, oedema in neck lymphs.

      If you can avoid radiotherapy and still have 100% cure then go with the other options. But whatever choice you make take the one that gives the greatest chance of a cure. Hope this is of some help and best of luck for you and your partner. Kim

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