Mouth Cancer Options

So I was diagnosed last week with mouth cancer, today I've seen the surgeon, radiologist, and my options aren't easy. The doctor described my mouth condition as T2, without treatment I'd be dying in a year. The treatment offered are surgery, with part lower mouth reconstruction, removal of lymph nodes, and possible loss of a part of jaw bone. My speech may be affected with surgery too, and I'd be likely to have some radiation afterwards. Next option is pure radiation, with a 50/50 success rate, been given 80/20 with surgery. I need to make a decision ASAP, I know it's gonna be difficult, but just want to make the correct decision. Any advice would be much appreciated, I have a phone number to confirm the op, just thought I'd ask before I do. Thanks in advance, Neil.

  • Tough choice. 80/20 are much better odds, of course. If I was in your position and I had a family, I think I would go the surgical route to maximise the chances of survival. If I was single I would possibly go for radiation only. But that's just me. Neither choice is wrong. I wish you the very best. Harry

  • I had through and through resection of lip and cheek for malignant nodular melanoma that also went into oral mucosa, using free forearm radial flap to reconstruct in May 2020 in the midst of  further complications and threat from Coronavirus should I be unlucky and catch it. Not having the surgery didn’t really feel like an option, and I’m glad I did as by the time the surgery date came the nodule had grown to 9.5 mm and melanoma was found in neck lymph node. It has been the hardest thing I’ve had to deal with partly because it is on my face, but mostly because if I didn’t have the surgery, the survival rate was not good. There’s a fella ‘Chris’ on Macmillan community ... head and neck cancer group who has documented his story. He has had a lot of surgery to his mouth and jaw over some years... it’s an amazing story. There are Facebook groups that share information and are very supportive: Melanomamates and mucousa Melanoma Warriors. I’m so sorry that you’ve got to go through this. happy to answer further questions if you wish.