Oral and bowel cancer

[Shirley1]

My father was diagnosed at the beginning of last year with Stage 3 oral cancer on his lower lip - he subsequently had his lower lip and part of his chin removed and a large section under his jaw (ear to ear) taken to remove effected lymph nodes.

In September last year my dad was diagnosed with 3b colon cancer - he had 6 weeks of radio and oral chemo and then surgery to remove 10 - 15 inches of bowel.  

The biopsy of the bowel has now been carried out and the surgeon has said that it contained aggressive cancer and thay the lymph nodes removed were also cancerous. He has advised that dad will now undergo 6 months of chemo.

Dad has now also seen the oral plastic surgeon who carried out a physical exam on dad's neck - he found suspicious lumps and has requested an ultrasound. He advised dad that of the lumps are cancerous he will require chemo to 'kill two birds with one stone'.

I would greatly appreciate if anyone who has experienced any of the above could share their experiences.

My sister's and I are still grieving the loss of our mum to cancer and can't quite believe this is happening.

[Budgie]

Hi Shirley1,

I am sorry for your loss, & for what your father is going through.  I have not suffered any of what your father has, but I just wanted to wish him & your family all the best.  He's been through enough!

Budgie

[justbeatit]

Hello, I don't have any experience I can share but sending my thoughts your way.

[looker_labs]

Really the 'standard' approach in curing this cancer

is with meds and surgery.  Some of the most difficult

is in the reconstructive.  Skin and/or bone graft.

There are melanomas (lip?) sarcoma (beneath the skin

but not involving organs).   Sometime radiation for

lymphoma.

So the good news is that eyes ears nose and throat guys

can usually handle anything that may be left about as easily as a tonsilectomy

or goiter procedure.  I think.

An enterologist can easily handle the other end.  Some people

are just more susceptible to cancer.

What happened with your mum?

Adenocarcinoma is (colo rectal) and beyond what I know from pre-med.

Is not carcinoma so far so that is good.

In this case a reduction in total tumor mass is the ultimate goal,

so i think this is going well.

The doctors know how to treat this like the back of thier hand.

He may well be over the hump as far as tumor removal goes.

It sounds like your enterologist has no bedside manner,

in reiterating that it's agressive.

I read about a fellow who lived 13 years with 2 surgeries and 3 chemotherapies

with metastasis.  Talk about aggressive cancer.

My dad's now got cancer that's spread to his ribs and I know that

all they can do is just battle it back.