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Recurring squamous cell cancer

Posted by mimiparris @mimiparris, May 3, 2024

I had my lower right jaw and tumor removed in August + 44 lymph nodes on right side removed, then 35 radiation treatments and 5 cisplatins, ending in November. A cancerous lymph node appeared on left side of neck in March and had that + 16 other nodes removed with another cancerous node. Now, 6 weeks later, another cancerous lump has appeared on left side of neck. Surgeon will remove that as soon as I can schedule a CT scan. I feel like with this frequent surgery and reappearing cancer, something is wrong with my treatment. Should I seek another opinion, perhaps driving to MD Anderson in Houston (I live in Austin)? How common is this constant reoccurrence of squamous cell cancer? Very frustrating. Thanks for any ideas/advice out there!

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drhill | @drhill | 3 days ago
In reply to @hrhwilliam "Cedar Sinai, excellent. Photon radiation to the neck and lower jaw managed to blow the hair..." + (show)
@hrhwilliam

Cedar Sinai, excellent.
Photon radiation to the neck and lower jaw managed to blow the hair off the back of my head in a very straight line. It grew back after a couple months but was baby like soft for a year or so.
Squamous cell carcinoma internal.
Your cancer in the forehead location seems to me a little more difficult to pinpoint the radiation and avoid damage elsewhere. Your case is a little more rare than what we normally get on this feed so I’m interested on how your treatment is performed. Please keep me posted.
My wife chastised me for my vanity comment. I really was trying to be light of the matter at hand. You would be surprised at the number of people who avoid surgery or radiation and basically would rather die than be scarred or disfigured and to me that is so disheartening. So for that I apologize. I wish you good healing. Please keep me posted.

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I sure will keep you posted.
I really appreciate talking to someone. It’s not that many people I know who have been diagnosed with an aggressive form of skin cancer that needs radiation.
It honestly was just a small scar after a biopsy.
I had it on my face for quite a while.
And the dermatologist that I saw, did not seem concerned.
Then, right before I had the Mohs Surgery, I noticed that the scar grew.
Unfortunately, it was a more rare type called desmoplastic.
Thank you for your apology. I’m not trying to be just concerned about appearance. I’m really not. I just want to look and feel normal as you probably did too.😊
I hope you are doing well after all your treatment.

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