blimkafam

I am a homecare nurse and occas. get oncology patients to care for. The latest one I am caring for was just released from the hospital for sepsis and on his discharge papers the culture shown positive for corynebacterium species, SPAR staph species, and gram negative rods to left neck wound ( which is the protruding oral cancer abscess). He was sent home on antibiotics via peg tube x 14 days and daily wound care with aquacel ag. Pt stated he had follow-up appt. with oncologist to determine when he can start chemotherapy. I told the pt he can not do chemotherapy while he has an infection, and explained why. While he was at the oncologist, the pt states he was told by the doctor that this is a cancerous tumor, it is dying tissue, any swab culture would show positive for infection but it really isnt. My question is, Is this correct? Their is no necrotic tissue, just very pink large draining tumor on the left side of jaw/neck area. Drainage is yellow/green, and he is occasionally running low-grade temp. of 99 - 100.3. I am not an oncology nurse and dont want to say something to the patient that is not correct but this just doesnt sound right to my med/surg. mind. Please help! thanks!