I have squamous cell carcinoma in my tongue and tonsils. I've been looking at multiple types of therapy, cures, and research.

I've heard of things like tree bark, immune system protein, and all of these things.

What are my possibilities?

Death if you follow non conventional "treatment". Get to a comprehensive cancer center (CCC) immediately.

Bruce SCC is an evil aggressive form of cancer,and it took my husband from me at the age of 44 in a matter of weeks.
Dont prat about get to a hospital like yesterday.

Conventional medical treatment can work Bruce. I am nearly 5 years out and doing fine. Follow Gary's advice for the best outcome. Let us know how you get on, best wishes from Helen

Keep us posted as to your progress, Bruce....we're all behind you....whatever decision you choose to make.......

You need, as Gary says, a comprehensive cancer center, which takes a multidisciplinary approach to each case, bringing the expertise from a variety of specialties to each treatment plan. That's particularly important for head and neck cancers, which can affect so many critical functions (eating, breathing, talking, etc.).

Several well-regarded head and neck cancer centers are not far from you -- VCU (right in Richmond) and UVa in Charlottesville. And you're just over two hours away from Johns Hopkins , which US News ranks as #3 in the country for cancer and #1 for ENT.

Get on the phone to one of them.

-- Leslie

If you spend enough time trying to digest everything that has been touted on the web as a "cure for cancer", all the legitamate research about options and current therapies, comparing people's contradictory conventional treatment modalities (we are all unique beings with different degrees and locations of disease), you will expend enough time for this disease to go beyond a point at which you might rid yourself of it. The only choice you have right now which makes any sense, is to choose the best multiciplinary cancer center that you can get into, and get your butt to them. The experts there will, with their far superior knowldge and experience base, determine what avenue of treatment is best for your unique situation based on thousands of patients treated before you, and you will put yourself in their hands as your best option. If you are seeking out tree bark and more similar fringe ideas to cure yourself, you are wasting valuable time exploring things which have no proven peer reviewed efficacy, and during that time while you are trying to avoid conventional, proven methods for staying alive, let the disease prosper and grow to a point at which the morbidity associated with your treatments will be greater, or your chances of survival will be lesser.

If you wait long enough you will not have any choices. This is the cold reality of cancers and their successful treatment. Do not let your fear of treatments you have heard about take you down a path that seems less taxing, that in the long run will not bear a positive outcome. The treatments are tough, but they are only one part of your life that will be tough. Life is not a guided tour. You have to make good choices to navigate its many pitfalls, most not within your control to forsee, and still survive.

If you can get into Johns Hopkins, go for it. They are awesome, along with many other facilities in the country. Just get yourself to one of them to get the proper treatment. If you don't, the outcome will be as good as the facility you decide upon.
Minnie

Ditto to what all have said.

Bruce, the treatment is not fun. But it works. Apricot seeds, etc. will do nothing. Get to a treatment center ASAP.

I was lucky and found mine early. You need to realize what this crap can do.

Steve

Bruce:

Please go get treatment. I know its scary and I too would have rather done anything except the regular treatment of radiation and chemo or surgery.

This is a deadly disease if it is not treated. I am 2 weeks post radiation and chemo which I know have saved nmy life.

Good luck to you and keep us updated. You will find alot of help and support on this site.