Best wishes to your brother. It sounds as if the medical team are going to do very well by him but it would've been a gruelling day with the Tumour Board for you all. The surgery he has had is a bit of a nightmare but the hard part is over in a week or two while radiation and chemo drag on for weeks. It's like a blitzkrieg versus a slow war of attrition.

There's a sort of camaraderie in radiation and oncology centres and staff will take good care of him. He'll need books and videos and games to enjoy while the treatment takes its course. Writing a diary or blog helps too.


1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.