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Hi, My Father Was Diagnosed With Squamous Cell Carcinoma Base
Question: Hi, my father was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma Base of Tongue Stage 4 cancer last September. His windpipe was closing up and they had to put a trach in him and a feeding tube. At first they said 50% chance 5 year survival if he got treatment right away. Before he could come home, he had to go to rehab facility for 10 days at the same hospital so they could make sure he was ok to come home, and to give my mother and I a chance to learn the machines (one to clean the trach throughout the day, one like a humidifier) and also learn all the medications and how to change the trach, and how to handle the feeding tube. He was sent home with those machines and medications. We got home with him and had appointment soon thereafter with the radiation specialist. In the rehab facility, his neck swelled up. We kept asking what was causing that. Finally after getting him home, the doctor called me and said it was lymph nodes in his neck. My dad after coming home slept constantly and had constant headaches. So the doctor had me increase his fluids. They moved up the radiation appointment. We had a terrible time getting him there because he was so weak and in so much pain. Once we got there, without doing any more tests, they said there was nothing they could do. It was too advanced and he could not have treatments in his condition. The doctor was honest and said we needed to make him comfortable. So, three days after getting him home from rehab, he went into hospice. He passed away eight days later. From the time he was diagnosed to the time he passed away was 36 days. My mom and I after everything happened wanted to know why his neck swelled and what happened how did they know he wasn't going to make it. Did it advance to his lungs, brain? We called the doctor that seen us at radiation appointment but she never called back. Just for peace of mind, do you have any idea what happened with his neck swelling and us being told he definitely was not going to make it. We were very grateful that the doctor was honest with us, but not understanding cancer just want to know what happened so we have peace of mind now that he is gone. Any help or insight would be so helpful.
Brief Answer:
Am so sorry for your loss!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Accept my deepest sympathy. Given the stage of your dad's disease, and all that I now know, 50% survival at 5years was really an overstatement, it is somewhere around 40. However, these are mere statistics which would not always apply in the strictest sense to individuals. There are some persons who would live pass this time and many who would not live even for a few more months. It is unfortunate that your father was among those who die rather soon after diagnosis.
The neck harbors veins which drain blood from the head. When these veins are compressed by any structures including lymph nodes as was the case with your father, blood would stagnant in the head region which explains the swelling. Treatment often entails relieving this obstruction, often with chemotherapy.
From all you explained, I appreciate the courage and honesty of your doctors not to let your father go through so much. I believe this cancer might have spread to many other areas. Your father died from natural cause, though painful and rather early compared to many others, but not unusual. This is something we see and it is difficult when your love one is that person. You guys did nothing wrong and th emedical doctors certainly did nothing wrong. These are some of the thing that no one would be able to fully explain to you or your family. No matter how much we try to rationalize, the painful reality lives on.
Again, accept my sympathy. If you have further worrise, let me know. My regards to your mom.
Am so sorry for your loss!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks so much for this query.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Accept my deepest sympathy. Given the stage of your dad's disease, and all that I now know, 50% survival at 5years was really an overstatement, it is somewhere around 40. However, these are mere statistics which would not always apply in the strictest sense to individuals. There are some persons who would live pass this time and many who would not live even for a few more months. It is unfortunate that your father was among those who die rather soon after diagnosis.
The neck harbors veins which drain blood from the head. When these veins are compressed by any structures including lymph nodes as was the case with your father, blood would stagnant in the head region which explains the swelling. Treatment often entails relieving this obstruction, often with chemotherapy.
From all you explained, I appreciate the courage and honesty of your doctors not to let your father go through so much. I believe this cancer might have spread to many other areas. Your father died from natural cause, though painful and rather early compared to many others, but not unusual. This is something we see and it is difficult when your love one is that person. You guys did nothing wrong and th emedical doctors certainly did nothing wrong. These are some of the thing that no one would be able to fully explain to you or your family. No matter how much we try to rationalize, the painful reality lives on.
Again, accept my sympathy. If you have further worrise, let me know. My regards to your mom.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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