Liberty Lake man perseveres through challenging throat cancer treatment

Last fall, Tom Baker, 55, noticed a lump on his neck while shaving. He figured a lymph gland was swollen because he was fighting a cold.

But about a month later, the lump was bigger.

“Instead of putting it off, I made an appointment,” says Baker, who lives in Liberty Lake.

He saw his primary care doctor Andrew Odle, MD, with MultiCare Rockwood Clinic – Liberty Lake. Dr. Odle ordered tests to investigate.

Baker says the scheduling staff worked hard to coordinate his appointments, making sure there was no delay in getting a diagnosis.

“Moving forward quickly was critical to my health and my own sanity,” he says. “It was a gesture that made me feel like I mattered.”

High-quality cancer care, close to home

Baker was diagnosed with stage 1 squamous cell carcinoma of the throat caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16.

He obtained several opinions outside MultiCare and looked at treatment options in Seattle and even out of state, but receiving treatment locally appealed to him.

“There’s a lot of healing power in being able to come home from treatment and sit in my chair and sleep in my bed and see my son come home from school,” he says.

Baker and his wife Donna met with MultiCare ear, nose and throat surgeon Brian Mitchell, DO, to discuss treatment options.

Although he ended up not needing surgery, Baker was grateful to connect with Dr. Mitchell.

“Dr. Mitchell spent a good amount of time with us,” he says. “He shot me so straight and honestly and helped me have a good understanding of what I was up against.”

Making it through a challenging treatment

With this particular type of throat cancer, the source can be difficult to locate. It typically presents itself, as it did with Baker’s, as swollen lymph nodes.

“While radiation is the primary treatment, the purpose of chemo is to sensitize cells to allow radiation to be more effective,” explains medical oncologist Emilio Sulpizio, MD.

His radiation oncologist, Zachary Guss, MD, says Baker received radiation in the lymph nodes, where the cancer was present, as well as high-risk areas to reduce recurrence.

“It’s important when I meet a patient that I know what type of person they are,” says Dr. Guss. “Taking their priorities into consideration, I can advise on paths forward, so the journey we embark on best fits their goals of care.”

“Dr. Guss very much personalized my treatment,” Baker says. “Based on my age and good health, he could target the suspicious areas more aggressively.”

As radiation treatment progressed, Baker could tell the lymph nodes decreased in size and eventually couldn’t feel them anymore. However, it became difficult to swallow.

“Tom went through a really challenging treatment, which often requires a feeding tube,” explains Dr. Sulpizio. “He was clear up front that he wanted to avoid having that procedure. That really motivated and guided him through the process.”

Tom and wife Donna celebrated completion of his treatment and their 25th anniversary in Italy.

Baker admits how challenging it was to swallow.

“I’d spend two hours drinking a single Ensure,” he recalls. “And I had to drink three a day in order not to be malnourished. But the alternative was to go to the hospital, get a feeding tube and risk losing the ability to swallow. When I felt like I couldn’t drink another sip, my wife would remind me of that alternative.”

Dr. Guss explains the temptation is to eat and drink less because it hurts, but the body needs a lot of calories when undergoing a combined chemo/radiation course.

“We made a shared decision to avoid a feeding tube unless necessary,” Dr. Guss adds. “He did a fantastic job getting enough calories throughout treatment, even when the going got tough.”

Being an active participant

“Tom was really involved in his care and took a proactive approach,” Dr. Sulpizio says. “His goal from the beginning was to optimize his care to have the best chance for a cure and undergo a difficult treatment in a successful manner.”

Baker describes himself as an active participant in his treatment and has advice for those facing a cancer diagnosis.

“This is the recipe that helped me be ahead of the curve,” Baker shares. “First things first, listen to your doctors. But with that, question your doctors and understand what you’re up against. Number two: Be a student of your diagnosis, because if you don’t understand, you can’t have a plan. And three: Have a plan and stick to it. I would’ve been a different patient had I not had a plan and stuck to it in my darkest of times.”

The power of a warm hug

One of the most meaningful moments of Baker’s journey occurred toward the end of his treatment. When he arrived for his appointment that day, receptionist Shelly — who was always a highlight of his day — could immediately tell something was wrong.

“She inquired how I was doing, and I played it off with a fake smile and ‘I’m fine,’” he says. “I was waiting in the hallway and really struggling while Donna was consoling me. She came over and said the most encouraging things, asked if I wanted a prayer, gave me that and then gave me the warmest hug that literally changed my day. I needed that more than I knew.”

Baker adds that these types of interactions with MultiCare staff made an impact.

“The difference between good and great lies with these sorts of actions,” he adds. “The words of encouragement, working with a schedule, that much-needed hug — these are the most powerful medicine.”

Baker’s follow-up PET and CT scans take place at the end of this month.

“Fingers crossed, but I am so optimistic on the treatment I received that I’m not investing any emotional energy into worry,” he says. “I have too much life ahead of me to let the uncontrollable live rent-free in my head.”