Please consider getting a second opinion. I do not know about the extent of your COPD. You might not get your wish about remaining relatively pain free for 6 months. You have not put cancer behind you. Would that could have happened to me, and my lesion was smaller than yours.

Did they mention anything about HPV?

I don't know where you are in relation to an NIH cancer center but that would really be the best shot. These folks see lots of people with your cancer, and some of them have other health issues. They would be able to best speak to your problems. I wouldn't put it just like that to your oncologist when you speak to him/her on the phone, but it is the truth.

I don't know how long you can live with this particular cancer without having unpleasant effects from cancer if that is what you are talking about. It could be someone else has a guess, but that is all it would be. Perhaps what you are talking about is whether or not it is slow growing enough that you can get two or three good years before it gets to the point that you must have palliative care. At least that is what I think of when you say, "wait until it becomes unbearable", then you will rethink it. I am not sure there will be much rethinking to do at that point. This is not a "watchful waiting" type of cancer.

Again, a cancer center/hospital that sees hundreds, perhaps thousands of cases each year would be better equipped to tell you what your options are.

Anne