Julie’s story: Head and neck cancer

In the previous video, we looked at the process of radiation therapy for head and neck cancers. Read Julie McCrossin’s story of her experience of radiation therapy treatment for oropharageal cancer.

Diagnosis

I was diagnosed with stage 4 oropharyngeal cancer in mid 2013. I had cancer in my tonsils, the back of my tongue and the side of my throat.

Prior to diagnosis I had been repeatedly attending my GP (family doctor) complaining of an ear ache, a sore throat and two lumps on my neck. I was taking soluble pain relief twice a day but I wasn’t sick. I was never referred by my GP (family doctor) for any tests or assessment by a specialist.

Finally, I wrote to an ear, nose and throat surgeon who I had previously seen about another health issue. I wrote to him about my symptoms and he agreed to see me. He immediately diagnosed my cancer and confirmed the diagnosis with a biopsy the next day.

I was successfully treated with 30 sessions of radiation and four sessions of chemotherapy.

Cause of cancer – Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

No-one, including myself, was aware that HPV could cause head and neck cancers, as well as cervical cancer. Nor did they know HPV can cause cancer in the penis and anus.

Treatment and recovery

Support from family and friends

Amelia was a medical student at the time and she helped us read the materials from Cancer Council NSW and write down useful questions for the doctors.

^{Copyright Julie McCrossin}

Support from multidisciplinary team

I had two crucial nurses who made sure I understood what was happening and who helped me solve any problems as they arose by connecting me to the right team member quickly.

The radiation therapists kept me safe during my treatment in the bunker of the linear accelerator.

The challenge of the mask

I asked for help from the nurse in my bunker after four sessions. I immediately got help.

Monitoring and checking

I have seen the large, lumpy cancer tumour inside me and I have seen the clean, smooth healthy tissue after treatment.

Cancer is a team sport and you get very close to your team members.

Patient education and support

It is now four and a half years since I was diagnosed. I recently had a PET scan that confirmed I am still cancer free. I have found that getting involved in patient education activities has helped me to recover emotionally from the frightening experience of having a life-threatening illness.

Julie is a patient advocate for Beyond Five and Targeting Cancer.

Thinking about Julie’s experience

• What do you think were the most challenging parts of her treatment?
• How did she overcome these challenges?