Hi Michael, and others,

I saw my Radiation oncologist last week for 3 month clinic visit and to discuss the fact that my Invasive SCC Relapsed, one year Post my Radiation treatments.... Not good.

He is worried and reluctant to do a second round of Rads ( and I myself volunteered to do more Rads)---- one thing he is worried about #1. He said it could rupture my Carotid artery & I could Bleed out from it.
#2. Over & over he said " Dead tissue, Dead patient" he repeated it 5 times! See, one thing that happened with my recent 2 surgeries, is that one side of floor of mouth wound Did Not Heal . The wound retracted, opened up and then became infected. Deep. My chin/ neck became deep red, hot, swollen.... I had a fever and bad pain.... Anyway, that very specific site was one that received a very heavy dose of Rads, because of the Tumor there, in my Mandible.... Dead tissue not healing.

#3 The fact that I was admitted Twice, during my treatments course. For pneumonia, dehydration, fevers, failure to thrive ( I went down to 69 pounds during my Radiation treatments )

He said I am very High Risk for Recurrence secondary to (a) the Multiple recurrent nature of my cancer and ( b) Very close surgical margin . From my Path report " Minimum tumor free distance, 1 millimeter, anterior mucosal margin. "

A 1 Millimeter margin. ??? Too Close !! He & I agree that that's more like a grey area, than a clear margin.. It's just too close.

He talked about the possibility of starting immunotherapy--- and he also took my case back before the Tumor Board. But all of them are scared and concerned about using immunotherapy in me, a person who was born with a genetic Immune Deficiency!

So, yes, I am immune deficient. I recently had Labs done, and it showed how low my white blood cell count is and remains. My Lymphocytes are Low, and that's what is driving my white count to be so low. So here is another big question:
Do I even have enough of an immune system, for the Immunotherapy agent to Work With ??

My Voice & Swallowing disorders surgeon saw me days later in his clinic, and he said the Immunotherapy is a Risk, but so is letting the cancer come back.....

This was my 6th recurrence of my Invasive SCC. Or was it a new Primary tumor?? It doesn't matter. Either way... It was invasive and had deep positive margins. It grew from Floor of mouth-- it grew so large, very fast-- and it grew into / Invaded my reconstructed tongue flap!!! So, my Primary surgeon had to excise the floor of mouth, extensively from left to right and had to cut 2 large holes from my tongue flap.
the first biopsy of it, in late January, was abnormal but benign. Then after the biopsy it grew very fast and quadrupled in size! In April, it biopsied Invasive SCC, keratinizing type. Ugly... Bad... And I bet it's coming back yet again. This was #6. My Primary enveloped my tongue, 6.3 Centimeters, invaded my tonsil, salivary glands, gumline , mandibule... Then 5 months later-- Dorsal tongue ( on tiny sliver of my natural tongue) , then Base of Tongue, invasive extending down throat. Then 2 tumors to bottom lip, so feel into chin he could Not get it all. A floor of mouth 1.
And now After my Rads-- this new aggressive 1 floor of mouth / into my Flap.

I'm quite tired...

Crystal