| Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 | Today on 9/23/14 my mother had a salvage surgery to remove the cancer from the floor of her mouth and neck area. As the doctor opened my mother up it was just to much spread. He said there were no clear margins at all. The doctor did remove the tumor from the neck area but he said the cancer cells had spread so much throughout the inside of her cheak and neck area that it was just to much to cut out. The cancer is not far from reaching her throat area also. So the doctor closed my mother up and explained to the family that Chemo would be the only option and hope. We are so upset but will not stop trying. Does anybody out there think that maybe the Chemo will kill these cancer cells and stop the spreading of it. We are praying hard for my mom.
Sweetpe Caregiver RE:My Mother Age 70 Non Smoker SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014 35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014 MRI 9/3/2014 25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery MET(s) 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful Chemo Recommended 1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14 Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad. Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel Passed Away April 22,2015
| | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,024 "OCF Kiwi Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Kiwi Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,024 | Sweetpe, I am truly sorry to hear this news. This disease is such a beast. So I gather that the surgeon was only able to debulk the tumour- remove as much of the mass as he could. Therefore there are many remaining cancerous cells. Chemo alone will not cure this cancer. It is only a palliative option to extend life. That being said, I hope that your Mother will get a long period of quality life. A time that you can all make memories. A time to love each other. I know that this is not what you were wanting, just the worst outcome for all of you. Allow yourself to cry and grieve, that's normal. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers. Tammy
Caregiver/advocate to Husband Kris age 59@ diagnosis DX Dec '10 SCC BOT T4aN2bM0 HPV+ve.Cisplatin x3 35 IMRT. PET 6/11 clear. R) level 2-4 neck dissection 8/1/11 to remove residual node - necrotic with NED Feb '12 Ca back.. 3/8/12 total glossectomy/laryngectomy/bilat neck dissection/partial pharyngectomy etc. clear margins. All nodes negative for disease. PEG in. March 2017 - 5 years disease free. Woohoo!
| | | | Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 | Tomyonk Thanks for your reply Yes that is exactly what happened. The surgeon removed what he could and yes there were to many remaining cancer cells to continue . The surgical Oncologist has now referred us to a Oncologist where Chemo may be an option. After my mothers first surgery "Mandibulectomy" she just had Radiation treatments not Chemo with it. Now this time Chemo might be an option were told. But I'm so afraid for my mother to take the Chemo because of how sick it makes you . We just don't know where to turn at this point.
Sweetpe Caregiver RE:My Mother Age 70 Non Smoker SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014 35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014 MRI 9/3/2014 25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery MET(s) 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful Chemo Recommended 1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14 Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad. Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel Passed Away April 22,2015
| | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | Sorry for your troubles, Sweetpe. Chemo may eliminate, make smaller, or slow down the spread of cancer, although each person, age, type of cancer, stage, extent, type of chemo is different in everyone, it's difficult to say it will or for how long it will last, and extent of side effects. I only had 5 days of induction chemo in 2009, after initial cancer diagnosis, that eliminated my cancer completely in my tonsil, and two positive lymph nodes, as noted by PET/CT scan 8 months later. Unfortunately, this particular combination "usually" doesn't last long, less then a year, before cancer comes back, and it did, but not in the tonsil ever again.
I hope this helps, and your family finds some type of treatment that is doable, beneficial, probably palliative, with least toxicities. There are many type combinations being used, some with targeted therapies that are not as harsh on the body.
Best wishes.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil 11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp 01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks 06/11 30 HBO 08/11 RND PNI 06/12 SND PNI LVI 08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy 10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux 10/13 SND 10/13 TBO/Angiograph 10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI 12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo 11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO 03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN 09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy 04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site 06/17 Heart Attack Stent 02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,291 Likes: 1 | Hi, So sorry about the surgery failing to remove the cancer. Chemo being the next and only option seems right given what her recent history of treatments has been. There are different kinds of chemo, so generate less side effects than others. Erbitux is generally easier than Cisplatin for example. Chemo can shrink tumors and even kill small microscopic tumors but if the surgeon visually saw what he left behind, chemo might shrink it but not kill it. In my case, chemo basically made the tumors disappear but not kill the cancer completely so I had full rads after the chemo. Chemo treatment can be really rough or really nothing as in my case. The induction chemo (TPF - Taxotere, Cisplatin, and 5-FU) was very hard. Later Carboplatin given concurrent with rads did not affect me at all. I hope you find the right treatment to offer good quality of life for her while beating down the beast as best as is possible. Don
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | | | Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 | Thank you all so much for the replies it helps so much to talk to someone who has been down the same road. I feel more encouraged about the chemo now . If it could at least prolong my moms life then its worth it. My prayers go out to each and everyone of you. Heidi
Sweetpe Caregiver RE:My Mother Age 70 Non Smoker SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014 35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014 MRI 9/3/2014 25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery MET(s) 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful Chemo Recommended 1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14 Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad. Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel Passed Away April 22,2015
| | | | Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Apr 2014 Posts: 236 | Update My mom is still in the hospital. Hopefully in a day or two she will be home. The doctors are talking about starting Chemo in about 3 weeks. Do you all think that is to long of a wait to start the Chemo? We are so afraid of more spreading.
Sweetpe Caregiver RE:My Mother Age 70 Non Smoker SCC 3/4/2014 Left rear jaw Mandiblctmy 3/25/2014 35RAD Completed on 06/03/2014 MRI 9/3/2014 25mm lobulated recurrence left mandible/floor of mouth carcinoma 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery MET(s) 9/23/14 Salvage Surgery Not Successful Chemo Recommended 1st Round of Cisplatin Chemo Started 10/20/14 Cisplatin stopped 11/20/14. Side affects to bad. Chemo started again 1/22/15 Carbo/Docetaxel Passed Away April 22,2015
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | I'm so sorry your mother will be going thru this! Oral cancer can be a very fast moving cancer. Two weeks would be better than waiting for 3 weeks but it shouldn't make too much of a difference. Ask the doc why 3 weeks?
best wishes!
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 | | |
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