my mother has already had numerous surgeries including a radical free flap surgery for buccal mucosal cancer. Now the cancer is back. The doctor says her only chance is another radical free flap that includes jaw bone removal. What is the average survival rate for recurring cancer like this .Her cancer is squamous cell carcinoma
Hi, Thanks for writing in. Buccal mucosa cancer is treated with surgery in early stages. In recurrence after few months or years also surgery is done if possible and then followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. What happens is some amount of cancer cells are still in the region and not eradicated by surgery. To destroy them completely, chemotherapy and radiation therapy is given to most patients of buccal mucosa cancer. Survival in cancers of the head and neck region is better than most other cancers if detected in the early stage. Since your doctor has told that your mother can go for another flap surgery therefore it is still in the early stage. Survival is good, and many people continue to lead a near normal life after surgery. The 5-year survival even in stage 4 buccal mucosa cancer is more than 36 percent. Therefor please get her surgery done and follow-up treatment, and she will recover. Please do not worry.