I haven't posted for a while but I did want to chime in on this one. First off I offer my deepest sympathy for your loss. I have buried 2 of my friends who were diagnosed after I was. Your anger is completely understandable and a normal part of the grieving process.

My mother had melanoma on her arm and it was mind boggling how much flesh they had to remove to get it all. It is one particularly insidous, agressive and invasive cancer. I can only imagine how the doctors must have had their backs to the wall attempting to treat such an agressive rare cancer.

I do concur with Brian that, given a choice, I would have been treated at MSKCC. They are the gold standard for cancer treatment and research in the world.

We are all "lab rats" to some degree as the practice guidelines are constantly changing as well as medications and treatment devices/modalities. For many of us the best chance for survival is to deliberately seek out a clinical trial.

It is easy to forget that it is appropriately called medical "art" not "science".

It sounds like Tony fought the good fight. God bless him.