 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Gerri, I am so sorry for everything you are facing. It must be so difficult for you not being right there with your mother during this.
Your mother's doctor has her best interests in mind when he makes recommendations. He has her full medical history and years of training. Here on OCF, we are not doctors but patients and caregivers who have lived thru oral cancer. We do have more extensive knowledge than the average patient. But, we cant second guess your mother's doctor when it comes to the chemo helping her more than doing her harming. I wish I could help you with your question but it would only be a good guess. The hardest decisions are the ones you and your family will have to sit down and discuss. We are here for you no matter what the treatment decision is.
I think induction chemo is where the patient has a pump and gets chemo for a few weeks to shrink the tumors. Chemoradiation is when a patient gets chemo along with doing the radiation treatments. It could be 3 large doses or 6 smaller ones over the 6 weeks of radiation treatments. There are only a few here who have had the induction chemo.
Make the most of your mothers visit!!! Best wishes!!!!
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  | 
