Dang I'm sorry -- and I think you're right. When it's involved in the mouth like that surgery just isn't great.
However -- IF this is responsive to chemo please don't just dismiss it out of hand. When Muffin the Intrepid had chemo that's when I discovered how AWESOME the TCVM was to augment the chemo and **pretty well completely** disarm side effects.
He was NOT nauseus. He did NOT lose his coat. He did NOT suffer from chemo at all. There was a chinese herb he took 4-5 days before chemo and then 4-5 days after -- no diarreha, no nausea. The Maitake mushroom literally helps protect the cells -- all you have to do is tell a regular oncologist that it is a "polysaccharide" and they GET IT.
A cancer diet -- it may take a bit of adapting but man, it helps slow the cancer down SO much. Muffin's quality of life stayed SO high I was amazed.
Holler, Ann, if I can help.