Throat cancer - any experuences

Thank you for your comments.

Dh has gone to visit today. He has taken a tub of ice cream and a listening ear. His friend had her visit to the consultant cancelled last week but is seeing him tomorrow with a list of questions.

My brother was suffering from throat cancer. He experienced symptoms such as voice change, sore throat, difficulty in swallowing, and persistent cough. He had stage two cancer. He took radiation and chemotherapy. Now he is doing well.

My mother had throat cancer, I understand there are several types. She had a large lump appear on her neck and went into hospital to have it removed. They only removed part of it as it was near the epiglottis and inoperable there. She was fed via a tube ‘peg’ and had Radiotherapy. She was the shadow of her former self and past away after 18 months. My feeling has always been perhaps they should have left it alone as she had a better quality of life before the operation. Who knows. I believe the actor John Thaw had similar, they were in the same hospital.

Many people make good recovery's I think it depends on the type. Hate cancer.

My DH was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer 9 years ago, just as we'd begun early retirement. We were both equally shocked and terrified, but the NHS were brilliant and they just seemed to put scans, appointments etc into action immediately. Our consultant was brilliant. Dh had an operation where the cancer in his throat was lasered and the tumour in his neck was cut away. He also had a trachioscopy to help with breathing. We had wonderful support when we came home and follow up checks. 5 years later, DH was signed off from the hospital. As a bonus, the surgeon [consultant] had also lasered off whatever it was that was causing DH to snore - he'd had sleep apnea and had been using a machine to help with breathing at night.
There were ups and downs and some additional scares on the way, but so much love and support from everyone to help us through. Sending every best wish to your friend

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Dh's friend is at the start of her journey so I could be back with more questions. Her dh is a bit of a know it all and it's difficult to sort what he knows from what he thinks he knows iyswim!

My friends husband had throat cancer several years ago. He had been a smoker . He had an operation and has an artificial voice box in a hole in his throat which he touches when he wants to speak. It took him a while to learn how to do it and it has to be kept clear of secretions so it doesn’t get blocked. You are able to understand him perfectly well and he is completely well now mint had a rough time during his treatment

About 20 years' ago a friend of my now ex-husband had throat cancer - he was 50 and a smoker.

He'd been going to the GP with sore throats for about a year and his voice was noticeably getting very gravelly, so by the time of diagnosis he must have had it for some time.

Surprisingly he made a full recovery and a year later his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

That is a sad fact harri but it is also a fact that treatments are improving all the time.

This friend worked for dh years ago and he encouraged her to go to college to gain further qualifications and they meet for lunch occasionally.

DH is shell shocked as he sees her almost as another daughter.

An old work colleague of DH had throat cancer, all communication is through FB and emails as he is unable to talk. We often see him when out shopping and he is always cheerful, waves and sticks his thumb up to show he is okay. He gets his nutrition through a line in his stomach.
We are now at an age where just about everyone we know has got or has had cancer, fact is that the longer you live the more likely you are to develop it.

My granddad died of cancer of the throat I was only young so not sure of the details he had a tube in his throat to breathe One day he coughed it out accidentally and died trying to retrieve it It was many years ago and I m sure treatment is so much better now He was treated for a while for laryngitis and I don’t think he lived very long after the major operation which was probably way too late
I never remember him without a pipe in his mouth
On the up side my friends husband had the same op some ten years or more ago and although has had ups and downs is still alive and living a reasonably normally life

Colleague's!

A colleagues husband had throat cancer, probably caused by heavy smoking. Even after he was diagnosed, he continued to smoke,

I don't know much about it, but he used to have to go into hospital regularly to have some sort of laser treatment on his tumour, to try and reduce it allow him to eat.
He lost weight dramatically and quickly.

I'm sorry to hear of this Kitty.

Yes Kittylester, I'm sorry to say a very dear relative had this.
A non smoker too.

I'm sorry your friend has been diagnosed, apparently its associated in the main with smoking. Which I imagine is a double cross to bear, as the addiction plus the illness has to be dealt with.

It is a difficult cancer to cope with, but then arnt they all?

for your friend!

Our neighbour has been diagnosed with throat cancer.
He has had sessions of ?radiotherapy? which clear the symptoms. But they have recurred.
He's still out and about, seems well in other ways.

so sorry to hear - a good friend had the same, in his case alchol and smoking related. He had to communicate with pen and paper for a long time but it was very very hard.

Another friend had oesophagus cancer and it was very hard for 2 years after the op, but is doing very well now.

This 'C' is just

Hi Kitty, sorry to hear this. Not throat cancer, but my brother in law was diagnosed with tonsil cancer 12 months ago. Very early stages. He had a course of radiotherapy and it has been an extremely rough year but his last scan showed clear with no metastasis.

He was very lucky that they found it before he was symptomatic. He'd had a TIA, (mini stroke) and it was discovered then .

Sorry to hear about your DHs friend.....not throat cancer, but my brother had cancer of the jaw, which spread to his throat. I remember his speech was affected and he couldn't eat well. For a long time he was on a liquid diet. He survived for 7 years.
Wish your friend all the best, for the road ahead.