Lrn10,

I have known people in their 70's and 80's that have made it through the chemo and I know from personal experience I was much more of a whimp than they were! With the stage of your brother-in-law, I do not understand how a trained professional could suggest that increasing the odds for survival would depend on the ability to tolerate mucositis. There are many ways to deal with all the side effects and either treatment can affect different people in different ways. However, when it comes to even a slight better chance at beating the beast, I would do it again in a second.

Likewise, if the doctors mentioned I had any risk factors, sign me up for more treatment! When you are facing 28%-30% 5 year survival rates, I will glady choose the 30% and do everything in my power to make it through the treatment.

Many have traveled this road and there are still no guarentees. Doing everything possible may at least provide a little more peace of mind. It is already a bit scary and unnverving at times while on the road to recovery. Don't short cut for any reasons since there are none that are valid that I know of.

Ed

SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023