OK, one more question:

It seems to me that when SCC metastasizes below the neck (lungs, chest, etc.) then docs consider it incurable. My question is: why is that? Can they not use radiation in places like the lungs? Is too much of the cancer "free" in the system by that point? Too many vital organs in the area...

Was just curious... I really hate this disease....

Tongue cancer (SCC), diagnosed Oct. 2003 (T2 N0 M0). Surgery to remove tumor. IMRT Radiation 30x in Dec 2003 - Jan. 2004. Recurrence lymph node - radical neck dissection June 2004. Second round of rad/chemo treatments ended Sept. 2004.