Hello to all the people out there who also have had their lives changed by cancer. My husband is the love of my life and an amazing painter.

Question:
Is waiting 8 weeks from our first visit to the ER with cancer 3rd to 4th stage squamous cell carcinoma a reasonable amount of time to wait for surgery? My husband wanted to understand the rate of growth and spread of his cancer better. Is there an average rate of growth for a healthy 61 year old man? I wouldn't want to fail him by waiting too long, I am surprisingly optimistic when I envision my husband's recovery but I wouldn't want to overlook any step that could be done faster and affect his success rate.

Current Overview:
It is Oct. 12, we saw our surgeon on Oct. 2. My husband's tumor has been growing steadily, it has grown by 1/4 in the past 10 days, the pain is digging in and throbbing and his stamina is diminishing dramatically in the past 5 days. He was put on bata blockers which is triggering his asthma and he is coughing and has less saliva.

My husband's operation is booked on the 24th of Oct. He is beginning to worry that it will spread through out his jaw, lymphatic system or his lungs in the meantime. His surgeon and the specialist team are extremely competent. We are worried that because only one emergency surgery of 10+ hours are scheduled every month that we are losing the battle to time. He will undergo a partial left mandible reconstruction, heal for six weeks then undergo five weeks of radiation(25 treatments). A month to five weeks after the surgery we will meet with the surgeon to go over the cancer tissue analysis.

Prognosis and History:
Growth noticed in early July, was probably there in June or earlier 2013. 8 August, Dentist extracted tooth and prescribed antibiotics. 1 September went to Emergency. Biopsy 6 September, 10 CT scan of head neck and upper chest. 17 September got diagnosed with 'Invasive Moderately Differentiated Squamous Cell Carcinoma' on the left mandible- at least 3cm in the bone (2.2 x -.6 x 1.3 cm). (Necrotic)(exophytic) Ulcerating 3cm mass involving the left posterior alveolar margin of the mandible extending to gingivobuccal sulcus area along with a very small jugulodigastric node. There are bilateral small jugulodigastric nodes less than 10 cm. multiple bilateral subcentimeter nodes are noted (up to 8-9 mm)

Bilateral submandibular and parotid glands are unremarkable. Post nasal and oropharyngeal air passage is normal. The lateral pharyngeal walls are symmetrical. Mucous secretions are seen along the anterior aspect of the epiglottis. Parapharyngeal fat planes are preserved. Vocal cords are symmetrical. No significant abnormality is noted in the thyroid. Visualized lung apex are normal.

Is drinking wine still OK? It soothes his pain. Also he had been a smoker since the age of 15 and quit after we married just over three years ago. (Started using a lot of nicotine gum)

Thank you, best wishes to all, Sophie

Hi Sophie:
Welcome to the forum. I would like to say that they are waiting too long, but I'm not qualified to say that.

When my cancer symptoms first appeared it took longer than I wanted to get me into surgery. Of course, all of us want the world to stop and move us to 1st in line. Unfortunately that's not the way it works.

About all I can see for options is for you to move to a different set of doctors and or different hospital that can get you what you need quicker. That you say these doctors are very competent indicates that you like them, so I can also see you not wanting to abandon them.

More than once in my cancer journey I've been told to go home, sit tight, and wait for us to call. I've had to learn to accept that.

Good luck on this journey, we are all here for you.

Tony

P.S. I can't see any problem with a little wine.

[quote]His surgeon and the specialist team are extremely competent.[/quote]
Hi,
Given your confidence in the team, I would strongly advise calling first thing Monday morning and clearly explaining what you have here, especially the noticeable growth in such a short time. They can then decide the best course of action.

We are not qualified in any way to advise you on such am important concern.

Good luck and keep us updated, don

Hi Sophie,

It does seem like a lifetime from initial diagnosis until the treatment ball starts rolling but 4-8 weeks sounds about normal. For some it's a little faster I was diagnosed on Nov. 21st 2012 (officially on the 30th), didn't have the surgery to remove the cancer until Feb.7th 2013 and stated treatment over a month later than that.

Concerning the wine. Pretty soon he'll have all sorts of narcotics and if he's getting radiation, he won't be drinking anything with alcohol for a long time, so a couple glasses of wine in the mean time isn't (in my opinion) going to hurt him. Based on the type of cancer and treatment, future consumption should be discussed with your team. I can tell you that I'm able to enjoy a beer or two now and again close to 6 months post treatment.

Good luck! Positive thoughts and prayers.

"T"

After reading a lot of the posts on this forum, I realize that they acted very quickly with me. I was diagnosed with stage IV tongue cancer with lymph node involvement on May 11, 2009 and I had my partial glossectomy and neck dissection on May 20, so they didn't mess around with me. It does sound as if you are waiting a while, but I am not qualified to judge, either.

Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing your personal experience. It feels so uplifting to know that I am surrounded by so many caring individuals. My husband is painting in the warm light by the ocean, I am absorbing the sea air and believe I might be a little blob in his painting when it is done.

Welcome to OCF. Im so sorry you have the need to join our group! What you have described is no walk in the park. Your husband has very involved surgery coming up.

I understand your concern about the tumor growing while you are waiting for the surgery date to arrive. Unfortunately there isnt anyone who can tell you what the rate of growth will be for the tumor. One thing you will hear over and over again.... everyone is different. This is one of those areas where that phrase is the answer. Everyone will respond in their own way. Some individuals will have their tumors grow at a slower rate than others. Too many variables make this question unanswerable.

As far as the wine goes, everything in moderation. It may be quite a long time before he will have wine again so he probably will want to have a glass once in a while until his surgery. Use caution with the wine if taking medications.

Right now focus on eating. Your husband should be eating all his favorites prior to the surgery. It could be quite some time before he will be able to eat them again. For most of us the sense of taste and ability to eat are temporary road blocks but for a very few, they can have long lasting problems in this department. Better to go into this without any cravings, so eat everything now.

Before your husband has the surgery, he should visit the dentist and make sure his teeth are in tip top shape or they may want to pull any that arent in good shape. He should have a full blood count including thyroid and testosterone counts. He should also have a hearing test. Better to get all these things out of the way so you dont have to worry about them while he is recovering from the surgery. A mandibulectomy can be brutal! Ive had it done and recovery can be quite a long road. Your husband is lucky to have you by his side to advocate for him.

Best wishes!

I would scream very loudly and hope you get some answers quickly.

I'm not familiar with your health system, but here, especially at a busy CCC, a high profile surgeon, it can take a month or two from getting a diagnosis to starting treatment. Our sense of urgency is different than the medical community. I doubt at this point, October 14th, a 10 hour surgery will be moved forward from the 24th, but you can always ask.

Good luck with everything.

Hi there 4-6 weeks is normal but I'm Canadian too - so i have to say push a little make some phone calls - ask to be put on a cancellation list - explain your concerns - and best of luck...