Ok, here's the deal (my best Ross Perot). PET/CT found small uptake spot on rt lung. Needle biopsy confirms malignant and of same type as original cancer of five years ago (SCC), but cannot confirm it as new primary (1A), or as a late-occuring metastatic growth from the original BOT tumor. Tumor has characteristics of both.

One very good oncologist wants me to repeat the Head and Neck chemo regime - assuming the worst (metastatic disease) and hitting it hard ASAP. Though his Tx plan would be to do it all in two, inpatient sessions, three weeks apart. Taxotere, Carboplatin and 5FU (?), and possibly Erbitux. Then, perhaps do a lobectomy to remove the tumor.

Another, very good oncologist, wants me to have the surgery now. Check the lymph nodes along the media stynum, if clear, go in and lobectomy the site. If nodes are bad, insert a port and send me home. Start essentially the same chemo, but scatter it out over 6 three week cycles as an outpatient. The pathology reports on the lymph and or tumor could/would modify the plan, and give us good data about whether or not Erbitux would work (the tissue can be tested for that expression).

The first plan doesn't make sense to me and seems fatalistic. The second plan makes sense and seems proportional and more flexible. Yes, I know I have to choose, and yes I know about more opinions (getting another on Wed), but what would YOU do???? Opinions large and small please. I value your input, and promise not to come back and haunt you if your idea doesn't work!! Ha. Tom J