throat cancer - radiotherapy or op to remove voicebox?

Hi all, my 51 year old brother in law has just been diagnosed with T3 throat cancer & has been given 2 options - 1) Radiotherapy 2) Op to remve his voicebox & have a permanent neck stoma.We don't have long to decide & their preference is surgery. But he is a cleaner in a factory & loves to sail & he may have to give both up. He needs to stop smoking & drinking which will be hard. He's young to have such a final choice which can really affect the rest of his life. Need to contact people who have had treatment/surgery to see what it really entails, the positives & negatives experienced. Thanks! All comments welcome - no need to sugar coat it, we need the truth & reality

  • Hi stilo

    im sorry to hear about your brother but welcome to the forum

    i am now 2.5 years post treatment for throat cancer but mine was only T1 and I had 30 sessions of Tomotherapy (advanced targeted high dose radiotherapy) and 6 sessions of 8 hour sessions chemo

    the treatment is no walk in the park and will knock you for 6 for around 6 months then you start the slow rollacoaster back to normality, but it works and I like many others on here, am a survivor

    i have no advice to give you on the choice you brother must now make as I had no surgery to contend with

    he will need to stop the smoking and drinking if he wants to beat this, it will improve his chances, but there is no reason why he cant still sail post treatment. I still play 5- a-side football each week and try and get out on my mountain bike at weekends and I am now 54

    shout if you want to know anything

    vatch