"My brother was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 2012. He had a cold sore-like thing on his bottom lip for years that did not seem to grow at all. I should mention my brother was red-headed and very fair skinned. He also worked outside his entire adult life. He finally decided to have it looked at. The doctor did surgery, cutting the spot off of his lip as well as a spot on his ear. No radiation or chemo was done at the time because the doctor was "sure" she got it all.
Six months later a lump developed on his chin. After another surgery the doctor decided radiation and chemo would be done. While on radiation AND massive doses of chemo, the cancer spread to his lymph nodes and lungs. At that time he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He still continued to do chemo hoping it would at least slow the growth of the cancer down since he was tolerating it pretty well. He was told his cancer went "radical" after surgery, turning into something horrific and uncontrollable. He was placed on a feeding tube and all his teeth pulled.
THEN......it began spreading to his jaw and facial areas. And not just lumps, but huge gaping sores. All of this while on chemo. So he decided enough was enough and quit everything. It got to the point where the bone was exposed on his jaw and a hole opened up in his throat, resembling a tracheotomy. He died June 15, 2016 at the age of 53.
I am just now mentally able to post these pictures. I made my sister-in-law send them to me so I could see how he was doing. He went from 180 pounds to 100 pounds in about a year. Hard to see him struggle with just day to day things.
"
Slavshit
Sandshit
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Sorry for your loss.
I have a very naive question. Reading through the post, it gives me the impression that maybe the cold-sore would have remained dormant for at least some time if it hadn't been done surgery? Could it be possible that surgical interventions on seemingly benign cancer flesh speeds up the cancer? I have seen a considerable number of similar cases where an intervention made something otherwise benign erupt, I wonder if this is actually the case?
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Its a possibility. but we will never know if the cells had already spread. However this treatment he got is just ridiculous.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
I am no medical expert, but I have heard the same. Cancerous cells can get "riled up" when disturbed. Enter the bloodstream, enter the lymph systems and so on. Like trying to remove a dandelion in its seed stage and slightly fucking up, spreading more seeds all around the area. Even if you just spread two seeds from your dandelion removal, well, you have basically doubled your problem given enough time... (if you consider dandelions a problem that is. Cancer for sure is a goddamn motherfucker.).
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
More options
Context
More options
Context