#26445 05-26-2004 09:55 AM | Joined: May 2004 Posts: 3 Member | OP Member Joined: May 2004 Posts: 3 | Hi My 84 year old Aunt was diagnosed with an oral melanoma today. THe Consultant said that although extensive he did not feel that it was advanced because it wasn't very thick.
He is proposing operating and removing part of her top pallette, a section of her jaw and all the molars on one side of her face.
Since she is 84 and in poor health, has leaking heart valves, angina nad lung disease she was concerned about such radical surgery and whether she would benefit from it or whether she would be better to let the doisease take its natural progression.
She asked how successful surgery was likely to be, what the Surgeons definition of success was and if she agreed to surgery what she could expect post operation in terms of complications - e.g. would she be able to talk, chew, swallow, would her face lose its shape and sink, when would they give her replacement teeth etc.
Whilst not openly refusing to answer her questions the Consultant provided her with no answers merely saying that it was in her best interest to have the operation.
Can anyone advise on what she can expect if she agrees? | | |
#26446 05-26-2004 10:38 AM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 164 Gold Member (100+ posts) | Gold Member (100+ posts) Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 164 | Welcome to the site. My surgery included tongue and tonsil with no jaw involvement, but there is sure to be someone on the board that can help you out. Oral surgery is no walk in the park no matter what your age. The recovery is long and painful.
We are here to help! God Bless Lynn
Stage 3, N0, M0 oral tongue cancer survivor, 85-90% of tongue removed, neck disection, left tonsil removed, chemo/radiation treatments, surgery 11/03, raditation ended 1/04, lung mets discovered 4/04,
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#26447 05-26-2004 03:07 PM | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 | Hello Tez, You have found a site that is made up of cancer survivors, caregivers and sometimes professionals in health care. Your question is a challenging one. Melanoma is usually a more difficult cancer to beat compared to Squamous cell Carcinoma (the more common oral cancer) quality of life is an important consideration and if I were you I would seek more professional opinions.
Take good care
Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
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#26448 05-27-2004 04:43 AM | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2 | Tez,
You have come to a place where everyone lives with cancer daily. All of our circumstances are so unique as is your Aunt's. Whatever course she chooses for herself will be very difficult. As Mark is suggesting, you should seek out more opinions of professionals that are trained and have experience to help guide your Aunt through one of the most difficult decisions she has ever had to make.
Your Aunt is blessed to have someone that cares so much about her by her side through this. I wish you and her the best possible outcome.
Ed
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08. Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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#26449 05-27-2004 05:37 AM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Hi Tez, I guess no one else mentioned that oral melanoma is fairly uncommon. There have only been a few visitors here with it. I believe that the treatment isn't much different than SCC so I would be getting opinions from a radiation oncologist, oncologist and head & neck surgeon as Mark and Ed recommended. The main difference, I think, is that for a surgical solution they usually have much greater margins due to the aggressivenss of melanoma.
If they have anything equivalent to a comprehensive cancer center in the UK, that's where I would be going. Pain management is a basic patient right so she shouldn't need to suffer in any case.
I had an advanced cancer and it was treated successfully with radiation and chemo alone.
Cancer death usually occurs when the tumor invades an organ, interferes with the blood supply or nervous system. If she decides to forgo curative treatment they may recommend palliative care which may consist of treatment as aggressive as seeking a cure. This is typically done to minimize pain and suffering.
There have others in their 80's who have undergone treatment and are still surviving.
Gary Allsebrook *********************************** 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) ________________________________________________________ "You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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#26450 05-27-2004 07:16 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Hi Tez The consultants that I have seen here in the UK have always involved me giving me all the options to consider.. Is she at a good head and neck center? could her dentist offer some independent advice.. Welcome to this site though... it's a good place to start.. take care Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
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