Hey everyone,

My uncle has just been diagnosed with stage 3 palate cancer, although we will still seek a second opinion if the stage of the cancer is misdiagnosed.

My question is, please we really need advice guys, is there any hope at all? Is there any chance left of curing the cancer if it is indeed stage 3?

Right now his family has chosen the path of 'wait for him to die' kind of strategy. They don't want radiation therapy or chemotherapy because the doctor told them this would only prolong his misery and pain. Is this correct? is stage 3 palate cancer really hopeless?

I was kinda shocked because I am a fighter. I wanted him to fight for his life no matter how small the chances. He is only 42 and too young to die especially since two of his three children are still in school. It is a life still worth saving.

I am inexperienced in oral cancers. Please tell me if stage 3 palate cancer is as hopeless as the doctor said? and that we should just wait for him to die or if there is still a window of possibility we could cure his palate cancer at this stage?

For additional info he is having a hard time eating anything. And is reduced to an extremely thin state. His palate is also almost gone and when he drinks water it spills out his nose. Is this really bad?

Also is there a chance the cancer will spread to his brain? considering how close the brain is to the palate... but isn't the brain protected by the blood-brain barrier? Can cancer cross that barrier?

Thank you so much guys for your advice and support.

As far as I can tell you... people with a stage 1 DX can die and a stage 4 can survive. It's all about the patient. Truthfully, I think he should fight! He's 42, and hopefully healthy otherwise. Unless they can show distant mets, to the lungs, or elsewhere... hip brain etc... he's not a gonner! Usually they operate on this type of cancer, and give him an orburator (a prosthesis) - and possibly depending on his biopsy and scan results they may offer him chemoradiation. If he has lymph node involvement, or jaw, the surgery may be more extensive, but I would not give up at this point. take care and good luck!

Welcome to OCF! I would suggest you take your uncle to a top rated cancer center. I am not familiar with what you have available in your area. A Stage III diagnosis does not mean there is no chance for him to survive this. The doctors he has already seen may not be familiar with Palate or head and neck cancer as it is not seen very often. With limited knowledge, they may not be the best people to take advice from. Why would he give up before he even tries to get well? Thats like quitting before the game even starts. Please tell your uncle about OCF and this forum and get him involved with his disease. This site is the very best place to get info and support online.

I have survived oral cancer 3 times, the last one being in 2009. I was Stage IV which is the worst case scenario yet somehow I survived several intricate surgeries. Everyone is different, but with his age being young, he has a very good chance at being strong enough to get thru this. If he is unable to eat, his docs should be getting him on a feeding tube ASAP so he can take in nutrition to gain strength. Without proper nutrition his body will get weak and he wont be able to fight the cancer. Dont worry about the cancer going to his brain, nobody could predict that but it would not be that common.

I wish your uncle the very best with everything he is facing. Please keep us posted and ask any questions you think of. We are here to help guide you both.

Hey, my cancer was stage IV, and I'm still here! The treatments were rough, but his age should really work in his favor. I was 64 when I was diagnosed, and that was three years ago. I hope he gets a second opinion.

Definitely get to someone else for a second opinon. I was Stage IV and I am still here. I do have a feeding tube and that is probably what he should get first. But it can be beat with people like you at his side. This is a great place to get started. Good luck!
Robin

From my understanding with my Drs staging is different in these type of cases. Where stage 3 is horrific in some cancers it's not as bad in others. Is he getting treatment at a cancer center? How about a second and third opinion? These are things to give serious thought to. I had a maxillectomy in Jan 2011. I had a tumor in my maxillory sinus and was pressing down on my pallette. I had the extensive surgery and had the obturator put in. I'm not saying it was easy but i'm alive today because of the right Drs. I went to MD Anderson hospital in Houston, Texas. I had radiation, but chemotherapy I was told will not help. Please get him to another Dr and see what they say. If your told nothing is going to help and your going to die, you will. Your outlook is such a big part of recovery. Don't let him give up. Even if you're the only one who is positive around him it will help. The longer they wait to get another opinion the less his chances will be. Time is important in these cases. Thank God this is not a fast growing like others. Get him a second opinion quickly. I had the things coming out of my nose too, but at least trying you know you did everything possible to help. If he doesn't get treatment it's a certainty he won't get better. Ask the family wouldn't it be better to know they did everything possible to help this young father to survive than just giving up on him and in turn making him give up on himself. Sorry I am very blunt at times, but I am with you on this one. Don't give up. What does your Uncle say about everything? Praying for you guys.

I was told by a local doctor that my cancer was terminal and I was going to die within a year. I went to a cancer center and they said he was wrong. They said it could be treated and had not spread into the lungs, which is what the loacl doctor thought.

Get a second opinion from as good a cancer center you can find in your region. You will probably find that doctors who have a good deal of experience fighting this type of cancer will give you a much more optomistic prognosis.