Dear forum,

Greetings from India.

My father who is 73 years old was being diagonised for Buccal Mucosa SCC and today the oncologist doctor had confirmed that it is a Buccal Mucosa SCC with a T4a N1 M0 rating and the biopsy report also says that it is "Moderately differentiated".

The treatment plan that the doctor had suggested was for a surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy if needed.
I'am planning to take a second opinion from another well known oncologist at my place.
I was searching on the internet when I came across this very useful forum.
Since this is the first time that someone in my family is being treated for cancer, Iam a bit nervous at this point of time and had some of the following questions:

1) Will there be any major complications or side effects after this surgery? I'am not even sure what this surgery is about and how would it impact the health of my father.
2) Is there any other options (apart from surgery) for a cancer of this type?

Please let me know your thoughts if you have such similar experiences in your life.

It will be very helpful to me in preparing my homework before I visit the next doctor. Thank you.

Thanks and Regards,
Sid.

Hi, Sid
Welcome to the OCF forum - I hope that will will be able to support you while you support your father.

I am not familiar with your father's cancer, but it is included on the NCCN Guidelines posted on this site: http://oralcancerfoundation.org/treatment/guidelines.htm

I would suggest printing the applicable pages for your trip to the doctors.

The standard of care for this cancer is pretty intense - surgery followed by radiotherary or chemo and radiotherapy. Both will inpact eating and talking for a time. I have found references to brachytherapy, but this seems to be in addition to external beam radiation. I am hoping that someone more knowledgable comes along to reply to you - but wanted to send my best wishes to you as you and your father start the journey towards healing.
Maria

Surgery is not as bad a recovery as rads and chemo can be. I'm not sure where his tumor is located mine was in mine was in my tongue. A second opinion is good but your dr is right on target with the appropriate treatment. Good luck and take care

Hi Maria,

Thank you for the wishes, I will go through the link that you have provided.

Hi Cheryl,

Thank you for the wishes, My father's tumor is located inside the mouth, on the right hand side. (i.e the inner side of the right cheek), but a swelling is visible in the skin and lesions along with some small white pearl like structures are present on the inner side.

Thanks and Regards,
Sid.

Sid welcome to OCF! Glad you have found this site to help you and your father. Surgery could be very involved depending on the exact tumor location and size. Please understand everyone is different and will respond in their own way to treatments, surgeries, etc. What may be mild to one could be devastating to another. My last surgery was much worse than what I experienced with chemo and radiation.

Hopefully your father will get treated by a top doctor and be able to easily get thru this and move on to have many good years ahead.

Best wishes!

Hi,
I had visited the hospital today along with my father and the doctor informed that the least date available for a surgery was around August-11-2012. Though I tried my best to get an earlier date, it seems that this is the earliest slot available for an operation. Now, my concern is that since already the disease seems to be in bit advanced stage, I'am not sure that whether waiting for another 1 month for a surgery would aggravate the illness?
Could any of you please let me know whether such cancers grow very fastly or is waiting for 1 month ok in such a stage?
Also we have schedule a visit with another doctor on Tuesday(7/10) and hoping to have a more clearer discussion with the doctor and to check whether they have any earlier dates for a surgery.
Thanks and Regards,
Sid.

Yes waiting is not good. Get the surgery ASAP - if another good dr. (someone very familiar with the surgery, oral cancer, and a good reputation can do it earlier..l do it! They usually remove the effected area and graft to the cheek. Hopefully the effects will be minimal. Hugs and push a month is too long.

Sid,
it would be better to get an earlier surgery - but I believe that the most important thing is to get the surgery right - with the best surgical team available. Make sure that the doctor and whoever deals with the doctor's schedule (a nurse or administrator - I don't know how it works in India) knows that you would like the surgery earlier if a slot opens up for it. Be really nice to that person!

If you have to wait a month, concentrate on great nutrition and more calories for your dad, so he will be in the best possible shape for the treatment. Remember to take care of yourself, too - it is not easy being the care giver, either.
Maria

Thank you Cheryld and Maria.
Keeping my fingers crossed till I meet the next doctor on Tuesday (7/10).

Thanks and Regards,
Sid.

Good luck Tuesday. Maria is right you need a top notch dr. Who knows his stuff. You asked how quickly this cancer grows and spreads no one can tell you but even dealing with a slow growing cancer it should be taken care of as soon as possible. Between my diagnosis and surgery 5-6 weeks passed (I had tests and Christmas holidays in between so everything slows otherwise I would have wasted to be in here much sooner). Moderately differentiated is moderately aggressive. It's not as bad as poorly differentiated but that can change as the cancer moves. Take care.