Hi Ed,

Yes, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, SCC, is a very common type of cancer cell effecting cancers in the head and neck 90% of the time, and so was mine. Back then I didn't even know who an oncologist was so no worries there.

I was going to mention watching the food channel to help with your appetite, but see you like to cook like myself. I think cooking or the idea of cooking helped me recover during my many treatments. I got a big kick when I was once "foodie of the week" on QVC's In the Kitchen with David with a picture of me on TV making a pizza pie. I have also used coffee, marinol, steroids, fat/sugar, wine in later years, exercise and others to help increase my appetite, and gain weight.

Sometimes I say the heck with it too, probably worse words lol, but dust off, and continue to carry on to the next day. It's a normal feeling, and just as long as it doesn't interfere with other aspects of life, treatment, recovery, it's not a bad thing.

It's interesting that you mentioned having had Hepatitus C. Last spring there was a report of an increased risk, 2.6 fold increase above average, for head and neck cancer with hepatitis C, so maybe now doctors can monitor this area with future patients having had this condition.

Good luck with the PET/CT. The facility should give you preperation instructions if you never had this scan before.