Wanted to share my story so far,
51 Year old male, was diagnosed in Febuary 2019 with Squamos Cell Carcinoma, i had been back and forth to the Doctors with a mild sore throat and blocked ear, they tried 3 lots of antibiotics and a course of steroids, couple of days after the steroids ended 2 lymph nodes in my neck came up over the course of a few days, took a while to actually get diagnosed, initail visit to an ENT was 24th December 2018, diagnosis came 13th Febuary.
Couple days after diagnosis i had a PET scan, showed cancer in 2 lymph nodes, possibly a tiny amout in left tonsil, so had the left tonsil removed and about 25 biopsies taken, also had a direct larengoscopy.
No tumor was ever found in me, both my Oncologists think my own immune system killed it, none the less there was still a cancer in my neck, my treatment was the usual Cisplatin and Fractionated radiation x 35 doses, radiation was painted, so 70Gy to main site, rest of mouth and other side of neck was 61Gy and 56 Gy.
Lymph nodes more or less dissapeared on their own after first dose of Cisplatin, this was prior to any radiation, both Oncologists were very happy to see the nodes more or less dissapear, they couldnt palpitate the nodes.
I am an uminsured patient, i more or less have paid for every part of my treatment, although some delays in Pathology everything was quick
So radiation wasnt to bad, painful around week 5/6/7 but a month out and im feeling very close to baseline, i never opted for a feeding tube or drug port, i only missed a dozen or so work days.
I read HPV 16+ is more treatable and more cureable?, im still a rookie here and would appreciate any input, anyone else hear have the same HPV16+ HNC with unknown primary??, hard to find any information on Occult cancers.
