Newly Diagnosed -spouse diagnosed with Retromolar Trigone cancer

Hi Immy. I have to say I had your husbands attitude.I decided that I couldn’t worry about anything I had no control over. This is from me a natural born  worrier and control freak. Tomorrow will come and in the morning you’ll feel sick  because of what’s coming up but tomorrow will happen. Yiu then will hopefully have a clearer picture of what coming. 
hugs Hazel x

Hi Immy. I’d like to add my best wishes for tomorrow. I went through treatment then had a scare with treatment failure. I know how you feel. I had to wait two weeks for biopsy results imagining that I had been through everything for nothing. Tomorrow will come. The morning will be horrid but you’ll know what’s happening by the end of the day. Try not to think things are hopeless. Even the most awful cancer is not abandoned. I don’t think there’s much chance that there’s nothing to be done. 
What time is your appointment? 
I’ll be thinking of you. Xx

Thanks Dani. I really appreciate the support of all of you on this forum who have been a similar situation.

Jan

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Hi, my partner has been diagnosed with stage 4 oral squamous cell carcinoma  rmt which has already spread to jaw bone, bone marrow and one lymph. It all started with what he thought was an ulcer. Short story - 2 week referral from dentist (early Sept). Lots of x-rays, scans, blood tests, etc. later and he (we) canot get heads round quality of life during after surgery/treatment and decision has been made and confirmed not to go ahead. He's 60 and otherwise healthy. It's a tough decision but he wants to have a "good" 6-12 months so it's one day at a time. We do believe personal circumstances are part of our decision, we don't have children, no mortgage debts, etc. We know the "end" probably won't be pleasant but neither is writing off the 6 months of brutal invasion in the hope it all goes ok. There were far too many ifs and buts and we could not be convinced to go ahead. We've spoken to top surgeons/oncologists at Addenbrookes. Hoping you are really well informed and all the very best to you both.

The radio/chemo therapy is after surgery to ensure any cancer that might be left after the removal of the tumour and it's margins.

We were told in my partnwrs case it would be 6 weeks, daily 5 out of 7 days a week.

Hi Ses. I remember you posting in September. We all wanted it to go well for you both. I  hope things go as gently for you as they can and you have some time together to be just you and him. Hugs

Hi Ses and all on this forum.  Thank you for the information about radio/chemo therapy. At this awful time for you it is so kind to take the time to give me this detail.  I wish I could do something but I  can do nothing but to send you hugs and hope that it is some comfort to know that others are thinking of you both. 

Jan

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Hello Immy. I thought about you since your last post. Hugs from me 

Hi Dani and everyone. Sorry, I  haven't been able to do an update until now.  What a traumatic few days we have had.

We went for the results on Tuesday and have been told that they that they are 85% confident they can remove all the cancer. They said at this time it appears to be only in the jaw (on the surface but starting to just eat through into the bone). They couldn't see any spread to the lungs or lymph nodes but can only confirm regarding the lymph nodes when they are removed during the op and examined.

Our situation seems very similar to Ses. It was our dentist who did a two week urgent referal then 26 October first visit to Oral clinic, 5th Nov 1st biopsy, 16 Nov second biopsy, 30 Nov told retromolar trigone cancer. On Tuesday they told us what the plan is but this involves a 12 hour operation and said this will be life changing. They have pencilled him in for 16 January but said if there is no ICU bed then there is no op.  I asked did they know at what rate this cancer spreads as we heard it was quite aggressive. The consultants present disagreed that it was particularly aggressive and said it is unlikely to change much between now and January.  We remain unconvinced and worried that by the time of the op it will not be able to be done.

We didn't get out on Tuesday until 4.00pm but come away thinking that there might be a bit of hope( maybe). Then yesterday we were told he needed to go back in for another scan. We asked why as we had only left at 4 o'clock the day before but the consultant's secretary didn't know.  We have been this morning and told the first scan missed some of the jaw bone by 2cm and as the planning for reconstruction of the jaw is  mapped out in Germany they wouldn't do it without this. We told them that we cannot go on with this lack of information all the time and need to be told for the sake of my hubby especially trying to remain in as good mental state as possible.  The consultant did apologise and said it was his fault that he hadn't told his secretary why we were called back in. We are now hoping for no more shocks and a bit of peace for a while fingers crossed.

Hi Immy. Good news that something can be done. Surgeons can do marvellous stuff with prosthetics so hold onto that. 
Your oncologist has given you that chance. They don’t know themselves how it’s going to go till the surgeon is operating.  I would trust his word regarding spread and progression. 
My SCC is branded aggressive. It’s all relative really as folk can live with some cancers for years. I found my cancer which I reckoned was about 15mm wide at the beginning of August and I wasn’t in treatment till December  12th. 
I survived and I’m well. 
Fingers crossed and hugs. Xx