Hello,

I posted at the newcomer posting but I also wanted to post here as well. I will provide a little more info about my friend.

His name is TJ and is is stage IV with lymph node involvement and probable lung mets. His tumor has pread to both sides of his neck and to several lymph nodes as well recently to lymph nodes on his chest. He currently has pneumonia and is having to wait to start any further treatment. He has already recieved 8 weeks of daily 5 days a week radiation and once a week eribtux ans well as two surgeries with neck dissections. After the second surgery he had an abcess and so he ended up with an open wound on the left side of his neck. We have been waiting for that to heal so we can try platinum based chemo. He is being treated at Stanford. No one has done an biopsy on his lungs because of the pneumonia?? and because he is still spiking fevers. But his from CT scans and x-rays they have been told it is probabable metastasis. They have said they will start chemo soon. My question is should he be getting radiation on the nodes in his chest and for his lungs? (He has about 6 or 7 that are positive.) Because they haven't mentioned radiation again. They said maybe in the future. But from every thing I have read his best chances are with radiation right? As I wrote in my other posting TJ is 36 years old with a wife and 2 young children. He is ready to fight! He is not willing to give up yet. It is just NOT an option for him. Any help or thoughts would be great please. I will get them to sign up soon, but for now they are too involved and overwhelmed at the process they are in now. Thank you again in advance for any help or advice.
Ginger

Ginger, Every person gets this disease a bit differently, and needs treatment that is pretty unique. It would be a mistake to generalize about one type of treatment or another, or to imagine one better than another. Stanford has a pretty good reputation and TJ is likely in good hands. His youth will help him fight, his family and friends will keep him motivated. He has a great deal in front of him still. Fighting cancer is a war - fought one battle at a time.

Encourage him to ask lots of questions. Get the docs to justify their decisions about which treatment to use. Help him write things down so they aren't forgotten. Find something to smile about every day. Be strong. TJ