Squamous cell carcinoma

Rosanne1946

My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 squamous cell carcinoma. It was a rare occurrence since it started in his finger from an infection in which they removed the top part of his finger. Apparently they did not remove all of the squamous cell and it traveled up his arm to his lymph node under his armpit. Then it traveled to his lung. All this was found thru a pet scan, thank God, or he wouldn’t have known it spread. Now he is going thru Immunitherapy at Mayo Clinic with a top oncologist.

He cannot find a support group with those who have gone thru something similar and he is nervous and reads too much. He thinks he will die between 8 months to 2 years and he doesn’t have a positive outlook. With a new grandchild at our age, 70’s) and a new one on the way all he says is I have to live! I don’t know what else to say to him to make him feel positive. It’s on his mind 24/7 and he needs to talk about this to others besides his friends who haven’t gone thru this!

We are praying immunitherapy will stop the spreading or slow it down. I never prayed so hard.

JillBarnes

I'm sorry. If he isn't looking for advice there is nothing we can say here to help him. You, however, as the caregiver, need to take care of your own emotional needs. Find a support group for caregivers or maybe ask him if he is interested in an online support group. I wish you the best

po18guy

At 55, I developed an aggressive T-Cell Lymphoma. Stage IV. 50+ tumors. Poor prognosis. Average survival two years. After treatment, I immediately relapsed, dropping my prognosis to extremely poor. A clinical trial placed me in full response for 4-1/2 years. I realpsed again. No prognosis was even possible. What's worse? The lymphoma had mutated into two sub-types, only one of which would respond to treatment. Stage IV again, with tumors in my spleen and small intestine, as well as two dozen tumors in my lymphatic system. Even worse? From years of treatment, I developed a marrow cancer, 23% of may marrow, precursor to Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Three simultaneous blood cancers. I made the decision to keep fighting. a miraculous experimental three-derug regimen placed me in remission again (my 6th) and I went straight into transplant. In two months, it will be 15 years into what began as a two year prognosis which dropped to zero.

Never stop fighting! I have been in four clinical trials and I cannot recommend them highly enough. They are the only method in which progress is made against cancer. I will be 71 in a few months, and am in treatment for my 4th cancer, Squamous Cell Carinoma, which we "believe" is confined to the skin. If not, we fight!

Kickapo28

Wishing the very best for your husband and yourself. Living with melanoma for the last 7 years, yes it gets lonely sometimes. Finding others who understand, to some degree. I empathize with your husband. There is a realization that worrying does not make things better. Worrying does not improve your condition, your outlook, or your well-being. It is a huge detractor. Worrying adds nothing, only subtracts. I am hoping he makes this discovery soon. Ya'll please take care.