 Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 458 | Hello Gorden,
I'm also sorry to hear about your recurrance, went through the surgery/chemo/rad deal twice myself, and the news of the second time around was devastating.
Since he's waiting until sept 23rd, I think in this case I would maybe get a second opinion on the whole surgery thing. Not so much as needing the surgery, that's pretty obviouly unavoidable, and sorry to say but probably the lip surgery is unaviodable, espcialy if there's SCC ther too. However, I suspect there's more than one approach to the surgery option as far as techique, and a good surgeon/plastic surgeon team should be able to minimize the disfigurement.
As far as leaving well enough alone, it isn't goign to get better, and what well might be mildly disfiguring now will be majorly disfiguring later.
Badger the guy about the plastic surgery add-on/option and see what's up.
Bob
SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.
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