#75066 05-31-2008 01:22 AM | Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | OP  Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,627 | Has anyone else read the story on Jim Calhoun and his "skin cancer"?? I was amazed reading this story and feel like someone needs to get in touch with this guy and put him in touch with reality. His doctors certainly are not doing that. Last year they found SCC in his cheek, this month they found SCC, via a fine needle biopsy, in a node in his neck................and they're calling it skin cancer. They're also telling this guy that other than a few "short term" side effects from radiation, his life will return to normal. SCC may also be skin cancer, but as an Oral cancer we all know it's far different then a little spot on our cheek, etc. This guy has it in his neck, that's not skin cancer!
SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 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: 6 |
Minnie:
I agree that it sure doesnt sound like its skin cancer. For those of us who have gone thru this, we know the difference. Im surprised a doctor would publically state SCC in his nodes and salivatory glands is skin cancer.
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  | | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 | You don't know how much in all this the media screwed things up. I have done at least a hundred print media interviews since OCF started. You would be surprised at the number of things a writer that doesn't understand things can screw up your words. In the broadest sense, even oral SCC is a skin cancer, though we all know that this the wrong thing to call it. Squamous cells are the moist cells of the epithelium or skin. Some of that "skin" is located inside your mouth and other openings of your body. So someone heard part of that and wrote it wrong likely.
But having not seen the article, I don't know if the writer's contact is on there where you could drop them an email and straighten them (or the doctor if necessary) out about how this correct but misleading statement does not help us get the word out about our disease. public awareness is one of the things we have to change.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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