Hello All,

Let me first apologize for the ranting and raving but I am very angry and frustrated right now and need to vent. For those who read this, what I am looking for is either validation of my thought process or being shown the errors in my thinking, and any suggestions you may have.

Up until today, my mother's course has been seeing a GP for the growth on her palate - he said "probably" oral cancer - go to oral surgeon for biopsy. Also get Neck CT. Got biopsy -confirmed squamous cell, CT showed bilateral neck adenopathy. Today was THE day. We would know what other tests were needed, possible stage, and treatment recommendations. This was at an NCI facility. Well, they should have paid me for what my mother was told - or in my opinion, what she "wasn't" told. He did not explain anything of a cancer nature to my mom, did not review the CT with her. After examining her throat, nasal passage, and palpating her neck (he did not look into her ears), he pronounced two options: Surgery then radiation or Radiation and Chemotherapy, then MAYBE neck dissection depending upon lymph node response. His recommendation was the second. That immediately told me that he was not going to be aggressive in his treatment. Now, my mother is not really interested in having surgery, but I don't believe in doing things half-assed. I specifically asked the doctor if he was approaching this in a curative manner or a palliative manner. He said curative, but I don't buy it. I even had to ask him what stage he thought this was (Stage III). After some more pointed questions from me (the purpose was for me to get a better spin on where this man was coming from), he said she would have appointments to see the radiation oncologist, the prosthodontist, a CT chest scan, and insertion of a PEG tube. No blood tests, no head CT, no further elimination of possible other metastases BEFORE deciding on course of action. And the chest CT was not scheduled until after the radiation consultation and PEG tube insertion. To me, they are putting the cart before the horse.
I pitched a fit and told them to get us a script and we would get the chest CT. It's being done this Friday.

So, am I missing something or are they? There is another facility about 90 miles away that I would consider but my mother can't justify the drive. On one hand she wants to fight but on the other hand I don't think she's fighting the "good" fight.

I would appreciate your spin on the situation and any recommendations.

Thanks for listening.

Cynthia

P.S. Other than saying squamous cell, the doctor didn't even give us a specific name i.e. oropharynx, base of tongue, larynx. He's guessing that it is tonsillar. As far as I'm concerned, they are not being paid to guess!