I'm sorry to hear also. I had tonsil as primary with base of tongue, valleculla invlolvemnt, and Chemoraiation was the course of treatent, but each place, dr, and patient id difftent for a number of reasons. I suggest your sister file for SSDI or SSI right away. It takes a few months to get , but they do expediate it for compassionate reasons, and Cancer is one. It takes 29 months from your Diasability date to get medicare. You can go to the SS website for more info, and file from there, by phone, mail or in person. It took me three months to get, and went back a year to my disability date, not filing date, with back pay. SSI is a little different, and paid by a different fund! and usually get Meicaid with that.