Thanks for your words of encouragement, Mark. She been seeing a top surgeon at Stanford Hospital, who seem to give only the standard treatment recommendations. He was very negative about gene therapy and clinical trials (as not being too promising), but my me+my mom+our family are stubborn and fighters. We're definitely exploring all avenues. I've heard UCSF and University of Texas MD Anderson have excellent head+neck cancer departments/reputations. Am trying to pursue a couple of good oncologists at each, in addition to taking advantage of the clinical research matching service of cancer association and massive reading we're all doing. I'd also really love for her to talk with a gum cancer survivor to keep her spirits up. Appreciate everyone's suggestions - this is all very new, emotional and urgent for me!