I had no idea how devastating and heart wrenching the recovery process from a mandiblectomy free flap could be. My husband's jaw was removed up to his canine. The bone pathology reported a 2 to 3 mm clear margin and trace cancer in two lymph nodes.

6 weeks of radiation starting in a couple of weeks.

I read that each mm of clear bone margin can add up to 10% survival for the 5 year statistic. I am guessing surgeons don't go back in to cut a few more mm? Does radiation take care of clearing the equivalent of a greater margin? I feel we are doing the right treatment, I would just like some reassurance

Thank you, Sophie.

husband 61@diagnosis painter
6/9/13 Exophylic invasive SCC IV(ext.gingivobuccal) 3cm+ mandibular/lytic/erosion, jugular/node9mmshort-axis
17/9/13 Dx(moderately aggressive)
24/10/13 left madiblectomy, mod radical neck disct, leg flap, NGtube
2/01/14 (30 tx)rads 60gy
N2b (2nodes under jaw) (rem. in tiny nerves) (rem. 30 nodes)
Clear margin, close 2mm inner cheek
15/05/14 cellulitis
3/12/14 Chest CT Clear
27/02/15 cellulitis
8/6/15 cellulitis
10/6/15 Osteomyelitis