SCC, t1 on the right underside of the tongue. It was discovered about four or five months ago. Had partial glossectomy three months ago - I consulted with a radiation oncologist before the surgery was done and he concurred with the surgeon that surgery was right option. The surgeon believed he could get clear margins and still preserve speech and swallowing. I had the surgery. One month post-operatively, my follow-up exam, he said all was well. Three weeks after that I returned, my tongue seemed to be thickening and I had a wound again on the bottom right of my tongue. He thought the cancer might be back, biopsied - and it was. He now suggested the radiation. Went to the radiation oncologist
who planned a course of 7 weeks radiation and chemotherapy. The medical oncologist is recommending cisplatin three times, once every three weeks concurrent with the radiation. The chemo starts tomorrow.

Concerned about the side effects of the cisplatin, hearing loss, kidney, neurological and immune (lowered blood counts), I spoke with the medical oncologist's nurse who said that Erbitux might be a reasonable option but is not as well studied.

Like I said, I'm starting the chemo tomorrow and will have to decide. It may be too late posting now to get any responses but I thought I'd throw this out there anyway.

The scc though caught in an earlier stage has shown that it is aggressive.

Any thoughts? Thanks.