Hi- Thank you in advance for any advice you can give. My mom is 74 and was diagnosed 6 months ago with SCC. She had surgery to remove the cancer as well as a neck dissection. She then underwent 7 weeks of Chemo and Radiation. During her final week she developed a nasty infection that went into the bones in her spine. She was hospitalized twice and finally came home with iv antibiotics for 6 weeks.
Last Wednesday we received the shock that the cancer is back in 3 places, including one that you can see directly on her facial skin. The Dr. said that the cancer is too aggressive to remove surgically. He said that we could not do chemo again because that would be throwing the same thing at it again. Her chemo was carboplatin. He suggested that she might be a possible candidate for two clinical trials at NIH and Mass General. She will go back to see her oncologist in two week. I found another trial today at U. Penn hospital. I am reeling from this information that there is basically nothing more that can be done. I would love to hear your advice and thoughts. She does not want to get a second opinion. She has had her treatments at a major medical center in a major metropolitan city. Thank you- Hilary