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lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma

Does anybody know anything about this type of lung cancer? Urgent!
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In October 2007 my husband was diagnose with mucoepidermis at the base of tongue. The size measured 4cm it spreaded to 18 neck lymph nodes.. Surgery was done to remove the cancer tumor at the base of tongue along with 18 lymph nodes. He also has hiv so post chemo was not an option. He did however receive 3 mos radiation. After all this he was left with a treach for 6 mos and a g-tube for 16 mos. Part of the back part of the tongue was reconstructed with using a part of his forearm.

He was just diagnose with having very small mm of lymphodes that are active with cancer the sits in his neck and also his lugs. Because of the minute size of the nodes...they are suggesting we wait another 6mos to see how they progress. I'm not happy with this because, the only treatment for this sort of mucoepidermis of the nodes is chemo which destroys red and white blood cells. Remember, he has hiv and chemo is not an option because he needs his whited blood cell for the fight!.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

At my wits end with an answer!  
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Avatar universal
My aunt just died of mucoepidermoid cancer.  She was around 60 years old.  She too had surgery and then radiation (neutron therapy in Seattle)- that is supposed to be world renowned for treating that type of cancer.  It "jumped" to her lungs and spread very rapidly.  She was undergoing chemo at the time of her death- I am unsure of the exact drug.  Her doctors had never ever seen a cancer spread so quickly.  Of note...my aunt had radiation therapy in her tonsils around 18 months of age instead of surgically removing them and I trully feel that it contributed to the aggressiveness of this cancer.  I would tell your friend to be aggressive with the doctors and her treatment.  Best Wishes!
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Avatar universal
Thank you for responding.  My friends cancer actually originated in one of her salivary glands, I believe the submandibular.  After the surgery to remove it and the radiation that followed, it spread to her lungs.  Would the same course of treatment possibly be followed as you describe above?  Any additional info I can pass on would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you so much.  Patty
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi. Mucoepidermoid cancer originating in the lungs is indeed a rare histologic type of lung cancer.  Because of its rarity, it has not been adequately characterized, and treatment protocols have not been well established. There is a study done by Molina, et.al. in 2007 (Cancer. 2007 Nov 15;110(10):2253-9) which describes 62 cases with the disease.  It seems to be more frequent in women, and seems to  have relatively good survival rates. The survival rates for patients who were able to undergo surgical resection were 94% at 3 years and 87% at both 5 years and 10 years. Gemcitabine may have some effect on this type of tumor, but this has not been studied in a randomized clinical trial.
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Avatar universal
Hi, My best friend was diagnosed with mucoedipermoid salivary gland cancer a little over a year ago and underwent surgery and then radiation for a few months.  In June, after not being on radiation for 3 months, they did a PET scan and found a nodule on her lung.  They did the waiting game and said they'd retest in 3 months.  THen there were 10 nodules.  They biopsied one, that was I think 1.4 cm and found out she has Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lung.  SHe found this out a few weeks before Christmas.  Her doctors here in Sparta, NJ are in contact with Beth Isreal Hospital and they are trying to come up with  a plan for her.  They told her they'd do a repeat PET scan at the end of Dec.  SHe is in the process of being scheduled for one now.  THe doctors told her they are planning on a wait and see approach because she felt so good up to now.  Apparently she will be asked to enter a clinical trial using Taxol.  She told methe doc said thistype of cancer is very rare, and the patients they have been researching haven't had a lot of success with treatments.  IF you know of anything else that I can pass on to her, it would be greatly appreciated as I think right now she is at a loss.  The doctors don't seem to know how to treat this.  DO you also have this?  IF so, all the best to you.  
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Avatar universal
please post more details if u want any meanigful answer
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