 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Its nice to hear your son has made such a great recovery from OC. But I am sorry to hear he is being obstinate. Cancer is a scary thing and oral cancer's treatments are horrendous. Most of us want to forget the whole ordeal ever happened.
It is common for an oral cancer patient to have mets to the lungs. I do not know the stats. Sadly, Ive seen it on here many times.
Personally I prefer the CT scans for exactly what Charm mentioned, the false positives of the PET.
Another reason CT comes before the PET is cost. From what I was told a couple years ago when the hospital wanted me to sign a form saying if my insurance company doesnt pay for the PET then I will. I think the quote was about $1400. I refused to sign the form, when the appointment was made for me this form was never mentioned. The office said without the form, they wouldnt do the PET. In the end, I had the PET and the form was not signed.
Glad he is being checked out. Best wishes for good results.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
