What are the odds for throat cancer at stage 4? How long does my husband have?

Question

Voice box was removed, chemo and radiation completed. Dr's won't give me the odds of survial. Cancer found in 3 out of 21 lymph nodes. Had another pet scan today, waiting on results.

Results from pet scan were not good. They are saying there is a mass in the upper left deep cervical chain. Shows intense FDG intake? Strongly suspicious for metastaic malignancy. They are talking another surgery, not sure what he should do. A reoccurence this soon??

Answer 1

Throat cancers can be cured in 90% of patients if detected early. If the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues or lymph nodes in the neck 50-60% of patients can be cured. If the cancer has spread (metastasized) to parts of the body outside the head and neck, the cancer is not curable and treatment is aimed at prolonging quality of life.

In your husbands case, it is impossible to tell since every patient is different. Has the cancer metastasized to other organs (not counting the lymph nodes). Was the chemo/ radiation successful?

Answer 2

Interesting you are asking this question to us .Obviously the doc.s didn't give you odds because they don't know. Alot of variables are in play that determine the outcome. NO ONE but God knows how long we have. Doc's can sometimes give a estimate depending on the problem and how well the rest of the body is functioning. If the cancer has spread to other parts then the time is generally shorter. Cancer is a tricky devil. Stay positive and supportive. Wait on the results of the scan and go from there. God bless.

Answer 3

Dr is probably waiting for results of these tests to answer your question.

The answer is usually phrased in terms of "chance of recurrance in next 5 years" and the lower the risk the better!

I was told that a spread to 3 of 16 lymph nodes was considered a minor risk, so 3 of 21 sounds good!

Good luck!!!

Answer 4

My mom and pop the two have degree 4 lung maximum cancers. They the two went via chemo. He has complete his therapy and is doing o.k. very almost 6 months after the analysis. My mom is death in hospice as I write this. the main distinction? He give up smoking 10 years until now he became clinically determined. She became nevertheless smoking after being clinically determined with degree 4 lung maximum cancers, each and each of how as much as the day she have been given put in the scientific institution with pneumonia - which became the catalyst her well-being crash. i can not say for confident that she could have lived lots longer yet i can not help yet observe the variations there.