I riginally Posted on the Intruduction board, but have had no response so I thought I would try here.

Update and questions.

We just returned from the Doctor who had the final pathology from the biopsy taken Tuesday. The final diagnosis is Poorly Differentiated Spindle Cell Carcinoma with a BOT Primary. T2N2bM0 to be exact.

Treatment recommendation: Removal of lesion through the side of the throat and a left side neck dissection followed by concurrent radiation and chemotherapy.

They want to put a tracheotomy and PEG in as well.

We are seeking a second opinion from MD Anderson as this recommendation is coming from our local ENT Cancer specialist. He is highly qualified and competent, but something this serious needs a second look.

What is the difference is between poorly differentiated and well differentiated?

Does anyone on the board have any words of wisdom to help me at this stage?

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott

Scott, I'll leave the definitions to the more knowledgeable, but I am glad you are going to MDA for a second opinion. Amy

Dear Scott,
Here is some information from another part of the OCF web site:

Malignancies arising from the mucosa of the oral cavity are epithelial in origin and are, therefore,(23,24)classified as squamous cell carcinomas more than 90% of the time. According to the degree of differentiation, three subtypes are defined: (1) well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma showing more than 75% keratinization; (2) moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with 25-75% keratinization; and (3) poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma with less than 25%(1,2)keratinization. The majority of cases are of moderate differentiation. A clear relationship between histologic differentiation and clinical prognosis has not been established, although a lack of differentiation has been associated with more rapid growth and spread. The morphologic classification of squamous cell carcinoma by degree of differentiation is used in the description of the histopathologic specimen.

You can read more information at:
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cdc/cdc_chapter2.htm

Hope this is of some help. Best of luck with the treatments. - Sheldon

I second the opinon that your choice to go to MDACC is a great one. You need a treatment plan developed by a Group of docs from different disciplines. And you are picking one of the premier cancer treatment facilities in the US. Whatever they recommend to you, I would jump on it and get treatments started.

Also in the resources section of the web site there is a database category, and in that is a link to a cancer terminology dictionary. That should help you unravel some of the jargon.

Thank you everyone for replying.

I have some more homework to do no as I try to learn a new language, cancer terminology.

I would like to know what "Thrush" is and/or means. Can anyone help me with that? Dana

A Yeast infection Dana.

Use the main site search engine and put in the word Candida... lots of informatilon there.