This morning we had a consultation with Dr. Price from the head and neck medical oncology department. She shared with us that the lung biopsy confirmed the cancer in mom's lung is the same salivary cancer that was in her neck and head. 

Now that this salivary cancer has showed up in the lung, they do not consider it to be curable. The fact that it spread to a different organ in the body means that it is a more advance cancer. They do not have a treatment that will get rid of the cancer.

Because this cancer is slow growing, they expect mom to have a good qualify life for 'years' without any symptoms. 

One thing they know for sure is that this cancer does not respond well to standard chemo. So chemo is not recommended as the side effects of chemo would not be beneficial.

Surgery, radiation and immunotherapy treatment now is too early because they can't say for sure how many nodules are in her lung or if it would meet some of the qualification for immunotherapy treatment. 

The Dr gave us two recommendations:
1) For now, watch the cancer. Do another CT scan about 3 months from now to see if any of the spots are growing or new ones appearing. 

2) Targeted therapy. Send off some of the left over lung biopsy for a molecular analysis that could give us a hint for what might be on a molecular level, causing for the cancer to grow, and see if there are any treatment out there that may be beneficial. 

Bottom line, they can only help mom coexist with this cancer - they can't make my mom cancer free. 

We are saddened by the news, but hopeful & grateful that the Dr's are still able to help and that we're looking at 'years' of additional time with mom, and not just 'weeks' or 'months'.