Hi Gordon
I am sorry to hear things are not going as expected. I'm presuming there is a reason you have not had the tried and true oral cancer SCC chemo of Cisplatin or its sister Carboplatin.
Is the plan to shrink this tumour before they surgically remove it ? Then treat you with radiation?
Have you had a second or even third opinion from a CCC?
I don't have any suggestions for you I'm sorry, but hope others on the board who have been through a similar scenario will jump in with suggestions .
I agree with you that the time is not now to give up.
Good luck and thinking of you,
Tammy

Caregiver/advocate to Husband Kris age 59@ diagnosis
DX Dec '10 SCC BOT T4aN2bM0 HPV+ve.Cisplatin x3 35 IMRT.
PET 6/11 clear.
R) level 2-4 neck dissection 8/1/11 to remove residual node - necrotic with NED
Feb '12 Ca back.. 3/8/12 total glossectomy/laryngectomy/bilat neck dissection/partial pharyngectomy etc. clear margins. All nodes negative for disease. PEG in.
March 2017 - 5 years disease free. Woohoo!