I don't believe any PET scan was done. I don't believe much of anything was done. I did find out that his dr is an oncologist that specializes in ear, nose and throat.

We are from central IN. Indianapolis is the closest city, but I guess Chicago would be the closest major city. Thank you for the information. This forum makes it much easier to find information, especially when you're like me and aren't even sure what it is you're looking for. Thank you Leslie B and Pete D and everyone else who has replied and given me suggestions. You don't realize what a great help this has been.

[quote=UncleVern]PET scans are expensive and not available in this area, however my Cancer Clinic had a portable one in a Semi-truck trailer brought into the parking lot on some Saturdays.[/quote]
I think both of my PET scans were done with the portable vans, although the clinics concerned had their own CT and MRI machines.

PET seems to be used primarily with a coordinated CT scan, so each slice has an image in both systems -- If PET shows a 'hot spot', the reviewer can then switch to the CT view of the same slice to check it out.

I didn't even realize that the IU med center had a cancer center here in Indiana. You guys are so helpful. We'll see what the drs have to say on Tuesday when we go to his post op, but I think we will be looking into the Cancer center at the IU med center. Thank you so much.

If you check the lists that Pete and I linked to above, you'll see that Indiana University is a NCI-designated cancer center and has a head and neck oncology program. If you don't want to travel far, you could start there. Several posters here were treated at the University of Chicago, and others at Ohio State. What's important is to get to someplace that sees many cases and where the personnel are the most familiar with this disease.

[Oops -- Daughterkel, your comment about the IU med center hadn't shown up when I opened the reply form to write this post. I won't change my post, though, as the link might help others.}

Pete: The term "skip effect" was used in the pathology report of my husband's initial biopsy, indicating that cancer was not present in the small bit of tissue sampled but could be present elsewhere. The sample was examined by a lab that does only oral pathology, so I guess the pathologist picked up on something that raised his suspicions: When an ENT did an excisional biopsy that removed the whole leukoplakia, SCC in situ was found.

Pete!

It's a good thing U ain't my neightbor, there would be kissing going on! LOL

The Doctors twitch, the "Giant Cancer Accociation" tossed me out and people think I am nuts for repeating the 1988 Cancer guess I got from an ENT. They even forced the poor man into retirement for standing his ground and trying to get tests for me.

He told me it could take many years, but to watch out for that first fast growing tumor, saved my life I think.

Just Wrong ...

UncleVern

I think the questions suggested are all great ones. Make sure you make a list of these questions and write down the answers while you are there. Otherwise you are likley to forget. I wouldn't worry too much about having surgery before a second opinion but I would go for one. Where in the US are you? I think a CCC is the best way to go. All they do is cancer and I know that makes me feel better. I go to Fox Chase Cancer Center in PA.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want. Everyone here is so helpful and full of knowledge. Good luck to you.

Suzanne

I forgot to mention one thing....as far as alternative medicines...I'm afraid they don't exist. I see a nutritionist and I think he gives me tips on just making my body a healthier place. As far as curing cancer...no way. I wish. But doing that makes me feel like I am doing something for meself. I eat better and exercise and take vitamins and hopefully that helps my immune system. But cancer is all about our own makeup and body chemistry. Why did it happen to me? I don't smoke or drink heavily. It just is. Having a positive attitude is very important and it seems you already have that. Does your Dad? How is he handling all of this?

I didn't really think there was much in alternative medicines, but we've discussed his nutrition and things that will help keep his immune system in tip-top shape. I think he's on board if we can just get recovered from this surgery so he can eat real food again. At first, I think he was just faking a positive attitude. He was really down, but since the surgery, he seems to have a much more positive perspective. I think my interest, research and willingness to get him better have helped, along with the support from family and friends. This website has been a great source and continues to be much help. Thank you all and best of luck! I told him about this website, but I don't know if he'll visit it himself or just refer to me.

Kelli

I've noticed in my friends that there seems to be a need to push me into doing normal things, as if the appearance of normalcy somehow makes the cancer gone, and eating "real food" is one of those things -- Be sure that in your efforts to return him to normal in terms of how he ingests food, you don't cheat him out of getting all the nutrition he actually needs.

Eating can be hard work and it may be difficult to get enough calories of the right stuf inside, whereas the canned stuf contains all one needs in terms of both calories and additives -- Nutritionist told me that three cans of the 1.2 density stuf would give me all the vitamins, etc., for the daily requirements of a normal adult -- Some people are on a life-time diet of the canned food, so it's more than just a stop-gap measure.