Sophia,
Philosophically, all of us got palliative treatment since life is a terminal illness and the treatment that we got, extends life. I personally don't think that my lifespan will be the same as it may have been pre-Tx - but I don't dwell in it either. I just take it one day at a time.

There is risk in most medical treatments and your decision must be based on what is the risk and/or benefit of the procedures they are proposing. This includes quality of life as well (QOL).

There have been some promising studies on ReRT specifically for head and neck, see:

http://jjco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/34/2/61

also: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/82003276/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

And from Japan: http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200121/000020012101A0745026.php

There is no mention of the hemorrage issue but their findings about "chemoresistive" were interesting. I have not heard that term used before.

Last edited by Gary; 05-16-2008 03:54 PM.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)