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Joined: Oct 2012
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Ina Offline OP
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Hello guys,

My mother-in-law is done with her chemotherapy - 3 once a month. It was confirmed that she has stage 4 oral cancer since the cancer spread to her jaw bones. My mother-in-law will NOT be having radiation treatments since her body is too weak to even survive it. They are considering another 3 chemo treatments then that would be the last she will get.

The question to you guys is: If there is no radiation what are they trying to accomplish? Does it mean that she will deteriorate in time? Does it mean her cancer will reoccur can reoccur?

Thanks


Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 939
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Ina,

The treatment your MIL is receiving can only be described as palliative since chemo alone will not stop head and neck cancer if there was any left after surgery.

Your question about what they are trying to accomplish is a good one to ask the doctor. Also, ask about clean margins during surgery. This is something that needs to be discussed with both your MIL and the family.

Wishing you strength right now,

Deb


Deb..caregiver to husband, age 63 at diagnosis, former smoker who quit in 1997.
DIAGNOSIS: 6/26/07 SCC right tonsil/BOT T4N0M0
TREATMENT START: 8/9/07 cisplatin/taxol X 7..IMRT twice daily X 31.5.
TREATMENT END: 10/1/07
PEG OUT: 1/08
PORT OUT: 4/09
FOLLOWUP: Now only annual exams. ALL CLEAR!

Passed away 1/7/17 RIP Bill
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Ina, Im not sure why she would have been given chemo. But being in a another country where medical care is different, its hard to understand the why behind what is being done. Sorry but I really dont have any idea why she is being treated like she is. Chemo alone wont get rid of cancer if its present. All it will do is to keep her stable and to help stop cancer from growing. That is if she has cancer, it may have been completely removed during her major surgery a few months ago.



Christine
SCC 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 smile
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Not knowing all the facts about the surgery pathology leaves question what the next step is, and increase chance of recurrence or spread. In T4N0M0 oral cancer there are several ways to go, and just surgery alone is one of them, and radiation can be optional, depending on surgery, scan results, according to NCCN guidelines, if you care to look at that, but chemo alone after surgery is not listed in T4, except for for T4b, very advanced cancer, where single agent chemo treatment can be used probably due to limited choices. Everyone's situation is different, and health status has an effect on choices, and these are just guidelines.

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/treatment/pdf/head-and-neck.pdf


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






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Ina Offline OP
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Hello I just a talk with my inlaws and I was told that the cancer has spread to her lungs that is why they are doing chemo. I need to clarify things with them since the conversation was brief. Thanks


Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
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There are different chemos used for different cancers. What would work to keep her stabilized for the SCC OC may not work for the lung cancer. I know how difficult it is for you to get a clear picture of whats going on over there and also with the lack of involvement with other family members. Its a hard situation for everyone involved, especially Joyce.

Wishing you all the best with all you try to do to help. Pretty hard to be a caregiver from the other side of the world but you are doing your best to pass along correct medical procedures and info. Im sure it helps!



Christine
SCC 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 smile
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 143
Ina Offline OP
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Posts: 143
Hello again, Joyce oral cancer met to her lungs. My sister-in-law spoke to the oncologist and she was told that Joyce's oral cancer has metastasize to her lungs. Joyce has small Metastatic tumors scattered throughout the lung. The chemo she is having is no longer for her oral cancer but for her lungs.

Treatment plan: CT Scan will be done in 2 weeks (from the date of her last chemo which is Jan 9). If the tumors decrease in size she will have another 3 chemo treatments. If there is no change then the treatments will stop and her condition will be monitored every 3 months.



Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 10,507
Likes: 6
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Now I understand. Thanks for clarifying! Unfortunately, I dont know much about lung cancer. Even though its common with OC patients to have mets to the lungs, its not something I have learned very much about as members with this condition dont post much about their condition.

Wishing your family and Joyce all the best with everything!


Christine
SCC 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 smile
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 143
Ina Offline OP
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 143
Christine,
I just sent an email to my SIL to ask the doctor the primary aim of the chemo, truthfully I think it is more of palliative care and no longer a cure.

Since her first surgery they have been saying clear margins, that was the tongue cancer. this time they are saying clear margins again.

Honestly MIL never not undergone a PET scan due to cost. But CT has been done a couple of times. Next CT is in 2 weeks. That will be the determining factor of the treatment.

Thanks for all the help


Joyce March 1940 to January 2014
A wife, a mother, grandmother and great grandmother.
She fought oral cancer from late 2009 to Early 2014.
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 5,260
Likes: 3
"OCF Canuck"
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This is sad - have they biopsied her lungs at all. I'm not sure if she's a smoker or was or lives with someone who is - but to assume that her lung cancer is OC mets - though likely correct - should be confirmed - as chemo is specific to certain cancers - it does sound like what they are doing for her is palliative. I'll say a prayer that the chemo does it's job. Hugs!


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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