What is SNUC?
Sinonasal
undifferentiated
carcinoma
(SNUC)
is a
rare
cancer
of the
nasal
cavity
and/or
paranasal
sinuses.
Initial
symptoms
range
from
bloody
nose,
runny
nose,
double
vision,
and
bulging
eye to
chronic
infections
and
nasal
obstruction.
It has
been
associated
with
several
types of
papilloma
in the
nasal
cavity,
which
are
benign,
but can
give
rise to
malignancy.
Prior
irradiation
for
other
cancers
has been
associated
with the
development
of SNUC
in a
number
of
cases,
and has
been
associated
with a
genetic
mutation
known to
be
associated
with
cancer
development.
Most
patients
have not
had
prior
irradiation,
and no
other
causes
have
demonstrated
to be
significant,
though
some
studies
have
found
that
woodworkers
and
nickel
factory
workers
are
generally
more
susceptible
to
sinonasal
malignancy
of all
types.
(Source: WebMD)Despite
the use of immunohistochemical techniques, the
differentiation between SNUC and esthesioneuroblastoma
can be quite difficult. Given the difference in natural
history, treatment, and prognosis between these two
malignancies, correct diagnosis is essential. (Source:
Danny J. Enepekides) |
A
SNUC Success Story
My husband is an 8 year survivor of this terrible
disease. He was diagnosed eight years ago, two months
after the birth of our second daughter.
He had stage four disease, but it had
not spread. His surgery was at Stanford University and
after the surgery they told me that they were able to
get clean margins all the way around. After surgery, he
went through six weeks of aggressive radiation. It was
horrible. They never told me that he would die, and
they never told me that he would live.
Even though its been eight years,
and he has no evidence of disease, I worry about him
making it to the ten year mark. I'm so grateful for
every day that we've had. The dr. told him that if he
has cancer again in that area, it would not be a
recurrence, it would be a completely different kind of
cancer. The dr. is pretty sure that he won't get it
again. - Janet
Below are more details on
this success story...
This past Saturday was the 8th anniversary of my
husband's surgery. Wow!
So his only symptom with the
cancer really was having a stuffy nose. He had gone to
the dr. who said that he probably had a sinus infection,
so he went on about 3 rounds of antibiotics. Nothing
worked. Then he had an x-ray, and they told him they
saw nothing. It continued to get worse and he
complained that it felt like he couldn't breath out of
his nose at all. He had a couple of nose bleeds at work
and his PCP referred him to an ENT. The ENT ordered a
CT scan and that's when he found the mass. He referred
him to Stanford. They did an MRI as well as endoscopy.
They told us that he did have a large mass but it
probably wasn't cancer because he didn't fit the profile
for the person who gets this kind of cancer (they said
that these cancers mostly occur in older Asain men. My
husband was 42 at the time and he is Caucasian).
They did a biopsy and a week later
they called to confirm that it was cancer. It was stage
IV but had not metastasized. It had eaten through the
dura and subarachnoid but not the pia matter.
They did a radical resection and
they were able to get clear margins all they way around
during the surgery. They said that the fact that they
got all the cancer and were able to get clear margins is
probably why he survived. They were very, very
aggressive with the surgery.
He did not get chemo, but he did
get radiation therapy. At the time, it was some kind of
new radiation that would attack only the area
surrounding where the tumor had been. I remember that
they told me that it covered 16 fields but I don't
remember any of the other specifics. It was six weeks,
five days a week.
The radiation was terrible. They
covered his head to mid chest. He lost his hair and it
burned his mouth and throat. He was unable to talk or
eat. He lost so, so much weight.
During the surgery, they severed
his olfactory nerve so he can no longer smell anything
and his sense of taste is minimal.
The first year after the surgery,
he saw the dr. every month. Now he only has to go once
a year. The dr. told him that if he gets cancer in his
head again, it would be a completely new kind of cancer,
not a recurrence of what he already had.
I'm not sure if that's all the
info you need. If you need anything else, please let me
know!
Janet |
SNUC
Stories
We want to help others diagnosed with SNUC. If you
have questions, a story that you can share with others,
or just need someone to talk with regarding this
terrible disease, we encourage you to
contact us.
SNUC Treatments
We encourage those with stories of progressive
treatments to share them with others. Please
contact us to share your
story.
|
