Hello Tobbiasbiass,

Sorry to hear about your recent sudden unexpected cancer diagnosis, and a more advanced stage at that. Glad to hear they are moving aggressively with it.

My experience has been very minor thus far so I can't give much from personal experience, but there are many stalwart veterans on here who have been down the path you are embarking on.

Nels is frequently on here these days and will be able to give you some tips and perspective.

I can echo some of the stuff I've heard them say to others newly joining; He'll probably tell you to eat now, and eat all the fatty stuff you can to pack on the pounds, and enjoy your splurging on your meals, as getting enough calories post treatment is going to be a challenge, and key to recovery. Folks often lose weight, even if they are already fit going in, keeping muscle mass and all that can be tough.

How soon are your surgeries and treatment scheduled?

Do you have a significant other or close friend who lives with or near you and can help out? If not some kind of social service visiting nurse system may help.

Your English strikes me as a native English speaker and you mention Munich so I am imagining you are likely non-Native German, why I ask about whatever social support network you may have to assist once discharged from the Hospital (and to keep you company while in).

I'm waiting on the pathology report for an armpit lymph node needle biopsy that showed up hot on a PET/CT, but it is likely reactive, or at least an unrelated disease to my oral squamous cell carcinoma of my tongue. Watch, I'll be one of those one off cases.

Anyway, keep getting outdoors and doing whatever you do to relieve stress and anxiety the best you can.

Here is hoping and praying things move well for your treatment and recovery.

Best wishes,

R/
CQ

Also, sorry for the link I know mods on forums don’t usually like them. But it’s just easier than explaining everything in a huge post.

I would be grateful for any respond

Hi everyone,
I’m not really sure how to start this, so I’ll just be honest.
I found out about my cancer far too late. Stage 4. By the time the diagnosis came, it had already spread, and a lot of the treatment options I read about were no longer on the table for me. I’m trying to stay realistic know the statistics, I’ve heard the words “palliative,” “advanced,” and “non-curative” more times than I ever wanted to. Still, even with all of that, I’m hoping I can at least buy myself some more time. Time to be with the people I love. Time to say the things I still want to say. Time to just exist a little longer.
Since hearing the diagnosis, I’ve been reading everything I can about stage 4 cancer treatment, trying to understand what’s possible, even if the chances are small. I came across an article that gave me a bit of hope or at least curiosity about some newer approaches:
stage 4 cancer treatment
They mention things like targeted therapies, immunotherapy combinations, and methods like dendritic cell treatment or TACE. I don’t know how much of it applies to my situation, or if it’s just the kind of hope the internet sometimes gives you, but it made me wonder whether anyone here has actually tried any of these treatments.
Since I’m still new to all of this, I wanted to ask the people who have been fighting cancer for years the ones who know the reality of it better than any article ever could.
Have any of you looked into these newer methods? Did any of them actually help, even a little? Or were they just false hope? I’m not expecting miracles I’ve accepted that but if there’s something that could help me stay here a bit longer, I’d like to understand what’s real and what isn’t.
Thank you for letting me share this. I’m still trying to process everything, and hearing from people who’ve walked this road longer than I have would mean a lot.

Hi everyone,
I’m Tobias, and I’m new here definitely not under the circumstances I ever imagined, but I’m really grateful this community exists.
Earlier this month I was diagnosed with stage IV oral squamous cell carcinoma. The tumor is along the floor of my mouth and has reached the base of my tongue, and there are lymph nodes involved as well. Things moved fast after the biopsy. I’ve already met with the head & neck oncology team, and because of the advanced stage, the plan is pretty aggressive: a larger resection, an extensive neck dissection, and then radiation combined with chemo afterward. Hearing all of that laid out still doesn’t feel fully real like they’re talking about someone else.
I’m in my late 30s, otherwise healthy, so this hit me out of nowhere. Some moments I’m calm and focused, and the next minute the fear just sneaks up again. I’m especially worried about speech, swallowing, and how life will look after treatment. If anyone here has gone through stage IV oral cancer, or anything similar, I’d really appreciate any advice or just hearing your experience.
Outside of cancer life, I’m a graphic designer. I love photography, long coffee walks, and messing around with old guitars. I’m based in Munich, and honestly the only thing helping me stay grounded right now is getting outside for fresh air whenever my mind starts spinning.
I’m here to learn from people who’ve already walked this road. Thank you for having me, and I’m looking forward to getting to know some of you.

I just got my peg tube a week ago...I spoke with the nutritionist and she "does not suggest a blended diet because it clogs the tube and you cant taste it anyway" I (Im at Cleveland Clinic)...I figured that I would start with the formula and then find myself a nutritionist that a more open mind.

I am not happy with this formula...I feel like I can taste it in my mouth all day long...and I am having trouble getting the four meals in a day...3 is about all I can stomach and that is adding up to around 1155 cal/day. I'm a bigger woman, what a weight loss plan (and btw, I feel lousy)

So, my questions are if I start blending, I found Brian's recipe (one of them). How many cc's do you take at each "meal" Is there more than one recipe and am I ok doing bolus feedings with them. I am pretty miserable at the moment...Each "meal" just regurgitates, and I have never had that problem with food before...thanks in advance