Finding perspective during oropharyngeal cancer treatment

Judd Woehrle has always been a firm believer in listening to your own body when something feels off. When he noticed a painless swollen gland on one side of his neck in January 2023, he wanted it checked out. He saw his primary care doctor near his home in San Antonio who referred him to an ENT for a needle biopsy.

The biopsy revealed a type of head and neck cancer called oropharyngeal cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

“Receiving a cancer diagnosis was a surreal experience for me,” recalls Judd. “Especially since I was in the best physical shape I had been in years. I was feeling great.”

Judd immediately got online to research treatment options. Knowing MD Anderson is the top cancer hospital in the nation, he requested an appointment.

Finding care and compassion at MD Anderson

From his initial contact with MD Anderson, Judd remembers the support and compassion he received. He appreciated how appointments were scheduled for him so that he could focus on treatment and recovery.

“I was consistently amazed by the professionalism, speed and efficiency of my entire MD Anderson care team,” says Judd. “They kept me informed and I never had to worry about the planning.”

After he met with his care team, they developed his treatment plan: robotic surgery with surgical oncologist Jennifer Wang, M.D., Ph.D., followed by 30 rounds of proton therapy under the care of radiation oncologist Anna Lee, M.D.

Undergoing oropharyngeal cancer treatment  

In April, Judd had TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) to remove the primary tumor in his tonsil. In this procedure, the surgeon uses a highly specialized robot with small and nimble arms designed specifically for operating on the mouth and throat. He also had a neck dissection to remove 38 lymph nodes. Two of the lymph nodes had cancer present.

In June, after allowing time to heal from surgery, Judd began 30 rounds of proton therapy. Because proton therapy limits the amount of radiation to normal structures, radiation did not affect the other side of his neck.

Being a cancer survivor herself, his wife was there for him every step of the way. They moved to Houston for five months, and Judd took short-term disability from work to focus on his recovery.

Managing side effects from treatment

Following surgery, Judd had difficulty eating and drinking. He underwent physical therapy for his shoulder after neck dissection during surgery.

Radiation presented a separate set of challenges for Judd. Some of his side effects during treatment included skin irritations that felt like a severe sunburn, mouth sores, a sore throat, fatigue and difficulty swallowing.

Judd credits his care team at MD Anderson’s Proton Therapy Center for managing his symptoms. “Nurse practitioner Ian Moore prescribed me liquid lidocaine to temporarily numb the sores in my mouth so I could eat,” says Judd. “My care team made pain management a priority.”

Now that he’s completed treatment, Judd says the big side effects are behind him. With diligent oral care and swallowing exercises, Judd’s sores soon healed. He still has some lymphedema in his neck and numb areas on his face from the surgery, though.

He kept count of his daily calorie intake to keep his body strong and make sure he did not lose any weight. He ate soft foods, like pudding, broth, yogurt, smoothies and scrambled eggs. “Anything crunchy or spicy was out,” says Judd.

Judd’s takeaways from cancer treatment

Judd quickly learned how much his mindset mattered during treatment. “While it sounds cliche, time is our most precious commodity, and I want to spend it doing the things most important to me,” he says.

Here is what helped him during treatment:

• Push for definitive tests and ask questions. If something does not feel right, get it checked out.
  
  
• Trust your care team. MD Anderson moves with urgency to get you the best treatment possible.
  
  
• Keep a positive attitude. It can be tough, painful or scary, but you can do this. Find your inner strength and step up for the challenge.
  
  
• Lean on your support system. Rely on your network of friends and family for love and support.

Judd completed his last treatment in July 2023. He returns to MD Anderson for scans every three months and remains cancer-free. “Even though my diagnosis wasn’t great, I had access to the best medical team in the world at MD Anderson and a large support network to get me through,” says Judd. “Find the things you’re grateful for and let that power you through.”  

Request an appointment at MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.