Hi - this is my first post but I have been reading for a month now. I have tried to research this question but haven't found a question like our situation.

My husband had reoccurance DX 9/10 and had a paramedian mandibulotomy, radical hemiglossectomy and resection of the floor of mouth 10/7/10 with a free flap reconstruction, jaw was split open and plate inserted. Tumor was fast growing, 5.6x4.2x3 and 2nd one further back on tongue was 1.2x.8x.6 moderately differentiated. 4 out of 15 lymph nodes under his chin had metastic SCC with extracapsular extention. Finished adjunant high dose chemo (3) and 30 rad on 12/17/10. So here is the question.

Two and half weeks ago his new tongue and his orig tongue were the same pink color for the 1st time since surgery. 2 weeks ago he mentioned his tip of tongue was burning (that was his symtom when cancer returned)and he had something wierd on his tongue further back too. I looked and was surprised to see his new tongue was again white coated, and a white long raised area was along the surgery line onto the original tongue about 1/2 inch. Dr said it was thrush and gave meds. (It is a long story but we switched to Mayo MN in Oct, an 11 hour drive for us which is why we have been going to our reg Dr) Next day he started to leak fluid from his neck insision (has had face swelling since surgery) which turned out to be infected so he went on antibotics for that too. Thurs we went back to Dr. and there was no improvement, in fact now there are white raised areas inside his lower jaw too. He sent us to an ENT who said it is definitly not thrush, didn't think it was cancer returned but rather sores due to chemo/rad treatments and put him on 6 days of steroids. Emmett is the first patient she seen with tongue cancer. Now 3rd day and there is no sign of improvement yet. There is no pain with these areas. Has anyone else gotten these white areas weeks after treatment has ended? My husband does not believe it is cancer returning and does not want to drive the 11 hours back to Mayo like I would so he has asked me to post the question here if this is a common side effect others have had weeks after treatment has ended? I've seen the posts referring to white spots but they talk about them being painful, during treatment and I was wondering if those sores and thrush are the same?
Thanks Karen