I have been treated by two head and neck surgeons. I have not seen any oncologist at this point. I also - am going to one of the best local hospitals - but it isn't a cancer center.

This is exactly what my pathology report says for the synoptic report: "Tumor size; uncertain. The tumore measured 1.8 x 1.4 0.6 cm grossly. However, microscopically the tumor extends anteriorly beyond the grossly described vertical incision site. This was not appreciated grossly. It is possible that the tumor is slightly greater than 2cm in greatest dimension which would make this a T2 tumor."

It also says that it is a moderately differentiated G2, pN0, pMX, the margins are uninvolved by carcinoma, distance of tumor from closest margin is 3 mm, venous/lymphatic invasion not identified, and additional patholoic findings: epithelial hyperplasia and epithelial dysplasia. Comment: "Epithelial dysplasia is noted adjacent to the main tumor site. In some areas there is a multifocality of tumor origin."

In the details of the report it states that some of the nodes are up to 2.5 cm in size and that 17 of the 22 show either reactive follicular hyperplasia, no tumor seen or reactive hyperplasia, no tumor seen. They took nodes from the submental area (5 normal - no hyperplasia), from the right submandibular triangles and levels 2-3 from the neck).

I don't really know what to think. My parents have been very supportive - but they think my fears of recurrence are unjustified. My mom thinks that just b/c it was removed that I have no chance it will come back. She gets mad at me when I look things up on the internet and then get upset about it. My dad just takes the surgeons words as gold.

I really have no complaints about my surgeons - they have been great. I have two head and neck surgeons that worked together for this surgery. It took 4 hours - I guess that is normal. I think they want to spare me from the trauma of radiation - although they have been clear that since we don't know the cause - that it could come back. In one way - I feel as if I should do radiation to "nip it in the bud" on the other hand, I feel as if I shouldn't do it - in case that I need it later (can't you only have it once).

I only weigh 115 now as I have lost 10 pounds since Christmas due to both of the surgeries (first the wisdom teeth and diagnosis of cancer and then the actual tumor resection and neck dissection). I really don't want to go through radiation if it would leave me at like 90 pounds or so - I'd be a stick.

The workup so far, was the initial biopsy by the oral surgeon, some labs: cbc, liver panel, pt, ptt, kidney, mg, and phos, chest x-rays and a CT which didn't show much of anything. Didn't show any involved lymph nodes nor did it show the actual tumor on my tongue. So I doubt the effectiveness of that - b/c if it didn't show the tumor they knew was there - what other things could it have missed.

During the surgery they did a triple scope as well to make sure it hadn't spread to larynx, esophagus or bronchs.

I am supposed to have a PET scan in 4-6 months.

I guess I am most worried that it really was in the lymph nodes even though the path report says no. They are attributing the size and hyperplasia to my wisdom teeth extraction which occured 2 weeks before the resection. In the back of my mind - I keep thinking there was micrometastasis that just wasn't seen on the slide.

I'm also wondering - since we don't know for sure what caused it - if I could spread it. For instance, I know cancer can't be "spread of caught" but if it was caused by HPV, then can I spread that by kissing someone - and making them a possible victim at a later time? All of my pap smears which I get every single year - have always been normal. I've never had an abnormal one - so if it were in my mouth - would't it be there as well? I know it is silent a lot of times - but if my tissues were affected in my mouth - shouldn't they be affected on the cervix too? I don't know for sure this was the cause - just assuming it might be.

Sorry for such a long post. I have so many questions. Everyday - I have new questions.