Hi Sarah,

I want to welcome you to OCF and wish you good luck with your treatment. You will find a wealth of information here and I suggest that you use the search engine at the top of this page and the one on the home page. You might hold the record for having treatment so close to the diagnosis being made. One week, that's amazing. Mine was 3 weeks and I thought that was quick.

Since I didn't have radiation, I can't answer your questions, but be assured you will soon find many here that will share their experiences and knowledge with you. Just bear in mind that it is impossible to find one set protocol for cancer treatments and seeking multiple opinions will give you multiple answers. This can be very confusing and it will come down to going with the treatment plan that you are most comfortable with. Once you've made your decision, don't second guess yourself, as this can be self destructive.

Although tobacco use and alcohol consumption are the major contributing factors for most oral cancers, they are by no means the only causes. HPV (human papilloma virus) has been linked to oral cancer and many times no causative factors can be found. Such is my case.

Congratulations on becoming a mom. Julia is a beautiful name and one that she shares with my 3rd granddaughter, who will be 2 this month.

Jerry