I know my story is so familar to so many of you here but unfortunantly I am an oral cancer virgin...My 39yr old husband had been initially diagnosed with stage 4 oral squamous cell cancer...orginally belived on exploratory surgery to be approx, 3 to 4 cm long was on result of ct, mri and salvage operation to be approx 14 cms. During operation, lymph nodes, right tonsil, lower right jaw, surrounding tissues and teeth on upper jaw, including lower portion of top jaw removed. A free flap taken from under his arm was created. After a few setbacks, namly a small fisutla and an etopic salivary gland, resulting in extended nasophyarnx feeding all okay. Pathology has shown positive margins and husband now set to start combined treatment of radio/chemo therapy over next 6 1/2 weeks. I know this sounds terribly naive but can someone please explain this all to me simply. How ill is my husband. Pre operation he had limited oral opening, was slightly malnuourished as a result and now still is in facial pain and discomfort. Without treatment he had a prognosis of 12 months but no one wants to commit to a time frame now...help, I would rather know what I'm up against than live in this limbo!