cancer in lymph nodes (neck). Anyone got positive stories?

[madmomma]

So DH's salivary gland cancer has passed into his neck (only a tiny bit), which lowers his prognosis, but I'd love to know if anyone is still here years after something similar? Desperately trying to stay positive.

[TheCheckerdyHorse]

I'm so sorry; no experience here, but bumping your thread for you. I'm sure there's an MNer out there who can help.

[madmomma]

thank you x

[amberlight]

Salivary grand cancer that's also in a lymph node? If both are of modest size, research shows 70% of people will be alive and well at 5 years (which is the standard amount of time they test for, not the total length of time they have left....). And that's on the older treatments. Newer treatments will given better results than that. It's scary, but there's good reason to be hopeful x

[madmomma]

Thanks amberlight Initially when his doctors thought there was no cancer in the neck, they were saying 80-90%, but after the pathology results from the neck dissection they said that prognosis didn't hold anymore because it was more agressive than they thought. Now they won't give me any numbers; they're just saying vague things like "we're thinking positive", "he's had the best treatment and we'll keep a close eye on him" The tumour was 7cm which I believe is huge, but the deposits in the neck were microscopic. Does it make any difference how much cancer there was in the lymph node? Is it like if it's only just got there then maybe it hasn't had time to travel anywhere?

[amberlight]

7cm is a reasonable size. But the volume in the lymph nodes does count. If it's only a bit, then it means it's a better behaved cancer that grew where it was, but is a bit too lazy to move much. That's good news really. Cancers that just mooch about really slowly are easier to zap, with the right stuff. Do get him to take a good range of nifty stuff. Lactoferrin and vitamin D and omega 3 (that one only occasionally for men, I think) and curcumin are all handy for boosting the body's own immune system, according to cancer research in proper journals. If nothing else, he may recover from treatment faster. Talk to Onc about them?

[madmomma]

Thanks amberlight you're a gem. I have some vit d in which I'll start giving him and will get the others. Macmillan said to give him vitamins too. Are you a nurse? x

[madmomma]

Oh I see you're a cancer patient :( What a shit way to get your knowledge :( Hope you're ok x

[amberlight]

Thanks. Think so, so far. 3 1/2 yrs and counting... x