I was diagnosed in April of 2003 with stage IV jaw cancer, I was 41 with four children still living at home. I am 43 now and my life is very, very close to normal. I had major surgery and 7 weeks of radiation treatments. You can do this and you can survive, but you need to make wise decisions now about your treatment. Make sure you are at a comprehensive cancer treatment center that will be up date on all medical procedures available to patients with oral cancer. Keep us posted so we can help you. I also sent you a private email.
Minnie


SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.