Hi Vinod

I don't know whether or not you can answer this query, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

With the progress report today of the French lady who had had the face transplant a few months back, I was wondering if this bodes well for future H&N cancer patients.

When Paul's cancer recurred (initially on the tongue) 4 months later in jaw bone we were all set for further surgery to replace the jawbone with bone from his leg, However, the day before surgery he developed nodules on the skin around the jaw/neck and we were told that a further operation was impossible as the skin had been infected and "where do you stop cutting?"

Is it looking as if, maybe in the future, surgery would be possible in these circumstances as they could take away more of the skin around the face/neck and transplant it?

Thanks

Kezia

Hello Kezia

Development of this technique would allow predictable reconstruction of defects that cannot now be done and so surgeons will be able to be more radical (extreme) in the removal of cancer tissue. It is difficult to predict how these techniques, if they become predictable, will be used.

Best wishes
Vinod

Thanks Vinod.

I know it won't happen overnight, as progress in medical matters is (understandably) slow while all the research takes place.

But progress is progress all the same, and any step in the right direction - however small - is welcome.

Kezia