Sue,
Sorry to hear about your mother. Very similiar situation with my own mother. She had base of tongue surgery in Feb. 2002 and had recovered pretty well and is home and self-sufficient. She went for a PET scan in MAy and they saw something on her right lung. She then went for a CT scan and fine needle biopsy which confirmed SCC of the lung. Since they didn't see it anywhere else the tumor board's recommendation was lobectomy. My mother decided she didn't want to go through major surgery again so she opted against it. They then told her that she should at least have radiation to shrink the tumor. She has been through that and decided to forego that treatment as well. She is 80 and has been through alot in the past 2 years and just decided she did not want to undergo anymore invasive treatments. She is still doing fairly well. I don't know if she made the right decision, but I guess it is the right one for her. Everyone has to weight their options and make their own choices. I just wanted to let you know you are not alone and as you can see many others are out here wishing you and your mother the best. It's hard to know what kind of advice to give the person who has this awful disease.

Prayers and best wishes are with you and your family.