When Rob was first diagnosed,i inevitably asked questions relating to possible future scenarios regarding his recovery and survival chances.
The head and neck specialist told us then that it was not common for oral cancer to spread downwards,partly due to removal of the lymph drainage network at surgery,and partly because the natural progression of the disease is more likely to take it up in to the brain and other close by structures.
Upper body scans done before surgery are to rule out spread of the cancer before diagnosis, and can influence treatment choices etc,which makes sense.

What i cant get my head round is how come so many people on this forum are being hit with lung mets,after treatment is finished,or even like Bren finding that it is the other way round and lung primaries are spreading to head and neck.,and if oral cancer doesnt commonly spread downwards why do so many have scans of their lungs done post tx?

Robs post tx scan done when his oral recurrance occured showed four tumours in his lungs but he had 62 lynph glands removed at surgery six months before, and a clear scan.

Good question Liz! And I STILL have no 'lung' symptoms at all, it's still my jaw which gives me pain and concern.
But as I understand it, it can just go anywhere at all!
My mum (non-smoker)had a painful leg (age, arthritis, said the doctors). She was finally admitted to A & E almost screaming in pain and unable to walk and they suspected osteomylitis and amputated a toe. Biopsy showed it was secondary cancer--3 weeks later, they still said they couldn't find the Primary, but began palliative raiotherapy on her leg anyway a week after that.
She died a week later from a Pulmonary embollism and they said they 'thought' the primary was in the lung!
We were all too reeling in shock to investigate any further, taking care of dad was more important.
Now, of course, I do my own research and find that the most likely sites for mine to spread to are the brain and the liver.
Throughout my treatment, though, all scans/X-Rays are concentrating on my chest/abdomen/pelvis--my jaw hasn't been even 'looked at' since diagnosis!
Have asked Ray to alert me to any signs of spread to brain, but he just smiles and says 'How would I know??????'
I guess this beast just moves in mysterious ways Liz--anyone else got any thoughts?
Brenda

Good Morning Ladies!
I've just read your post and am sitting here in a state of wonder myself.
Two years ago Eddie's father was dx with lung cancer. While on the beach that summer he had cut his toe on a seashell, when it didn't heal, his niece, an RN, advised him to seek medical attention immediately. I can tell you we were all stunned as we found out that cut and many tests showed he had cx in his left lung. They went in immediately and removed a portion and he was cured. This past January he started having some issues that weren't addressed immediately because his wife was dx with alzheimer's, with related dementia. He went for his check up finally and they found he had cx again, in the other lung. They said it was good because it was a different strain of cancer.
My Aunt Lauren was dx in April '03 with lung cancer and died in 11/03, with the cx mets to her brain. Of course we didn't understand all the tests at the time. I recall I started on her to go to the dr 11/02 because I had noticed a small lump on her neck. I saw her a couple of times again but didn't notice anything because she was wearing turtlenecks. I remember one day giving her a hug and brushing away a few strands of hair from her shoulder and felt something...I pulled her shirt aside because I had remembered that small lump on the upper part of her neck, what I found was a lump about the size of a newborn kitten! When she finally went to the MO, he said she had tumors on her lungs, she had a saucer size tumor right above her stomach. I can't say for sure, but I would hope that they did tests on her brain along the way. I don't recall anything being done for her headaches right away, but soon after she had scans that shown her brain had been mets. I aways wonder what if she had gone to the doctor when I initially asked her to...and what if?.....

Liz - I'm not sure why your dr. told you that it was not common for oral cancer to spread downward. If you read the literature, the most common site for distant metastasis is the Lungs. I haven't seen brain mentioned, but I'm sure once it's in the lungs that's possible. One of the routine follow-up tests I have is a chest x-ray...

so Donna, it does sound suspicious for your Aunt. Unfortunately, sometimes we are too scared to find out the answer.. I know I've felt like that before.. .

Liz,

I agree with Ginny and that's why I get a chest x-ray every year because of the possibility of mets to the lungs.

Jerry

Not to sure if it makes much difference whare, it comes back, how early one can find it might be a help. Looking forword to making a 5 year mark. Seems like 2010 is long ways off. But will take what the good lord is willing to give.