I was seen Friday (August 31st) at the Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary in Boston for a sore spot on my tongue. By the time I left they took two biopsies off of my tongue, which I'm home fearing the results from, which I'll have by Thursday

Welcome Carmine, Wishing you the best of luck for your biopsy results. You have come to the right place for information and support. I sincerly hope you dont' have to stick around here, but if you do....welcome.

Wendy

Carmine,

Hope their not positive BUT if they are you really need to be seen at a Comprehensive Cancer Center like Johns Hopkins. Good luck and let us know what they say.

Good Morning Carmine, and welcome. Hope you are just a "visitor" and not a patient, and that your tests turn out negative. I'll be watching for your post on your tests Thursday. Prayers and good luck from julieann

I lost my mother to mouth cancer 19 years ago, as well as one of her sisters; and I'm scared to death. My wife is expeting the best news, and deep down I just have this feeling that I know its not going to be good news. I went to the Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary in Boston believing them to be one of the leading hospitals for problems from the neck up, is this not true information; and what sets Johns Hopkins apart from others in the Boston area..............peace

Carmine, welcome to OCF. Im sorry to hear about your mother and aunt. At this time heredity has not been scientifically proven to be link to a cause for oral cancer. I would suggest you read some info and try not to worry so much. Worrying will NOT help you at all, it will only make you feel worse.

Here are a couple good links from the main OCF pages to read to help you understand more about oral cancer and cancer centers. The center you have gone to may be ok for other illnesses but if you want the best treatment facility for oral cancer then I suggest checking out the cancer center list on the link below. Comparing a local hospital to a cancer center is kinda like comparing a corner store to a grocery store. the corner store may be ok for small items but for bigger things go to the bigger place where they have everything.

Diagnosis Info
Oral Cancer Treatment
Cancer Centers

Best wishes!!!

Carmine - One of the best ways to try to lessen the time you spend worrying about something that has not and might not even happen- is to inform yourself and read everything you can, especially the links above that Christine gave you. This site has all the latest factual information so you don't have to read scary stuff on the internet that may not be accurate. This way you will be able to prepare your questions for the doctor (or for us here) when you get your results on Thursday. Try not to let the negative thoughts get to you. Just give them a time limit like maybe 4-5 minutes and the next time they attack, shorten the time. And substitute some positives that you have already done like getting yourself to the doctor for a biopsy and the fact that it just may be nothing serious. Also, you mention a "sore spot" which seems to me like you caught this early, which is better than waiting and putting off taking care of it. Let us know what happens on Thursday.

Hi, Carmine.

I am a fellow patient at the head and neck oncology team at Mass Eye and Ear. My surgeon is Daniel Deschler, MD. He is one the best in the country. MEEI is a specialty hospital, thus not a CCC, however they work in concert with Dana Farber and Mass General Hospital (Mass General and MEEI are physically and medically), so you are in very capable, talented hands. Boston hospitals are somewhat unique in that they often work together and the community is closely-knit. I am getting my radiation and chemo as Mass General and I had my surgeries at MEEI and MGH.

Please feel free to PM me about any questions you may have. Second opinions are always a good idea, but I stayed right where I was because I did my homework, as well as my oral surgeon, and I knew I was in the best hands out there.

Best wishes,
Kerri