| | Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 225 "OCF Down Under" Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP  "OCF Down Under" Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 225 | I'm in a state of shock at the moment. I've just come bak from the doctor who wants me to get a small pea sized lump on the front right side of my tongue biopsied. It's not painful, and I'm not sure it hasn't been there for years (!) but I'm very concerned. He's only a GP but he says there is a thickening on the floor of my mouth between the tongue and teeth. I'm not mentioning this to anyone, except my husband - I don't want to freak anyone out, especially family who have been so worried about Simon. I'll let you all know what happens. Linda
Brother 49yo DX 22/6/11 Tonsil SCC HPV+ Stage IV T4N1(?)M0. Carbo/docetaxel (Taxotere)19/7, 11/8 (with E-tux), 1/9; E-tux 11/8, 25/8, 15/9, 30/9, 14/10, 28/10; IMRT X 35 (70gy tumour;63gy nodes;56gy gen area) 19/9-4/11/11. Clear PET scan 1/2/12. 1 and 2 year post treatment checks good.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | So sorry to hear of what your doctor has found. My family doctor is who first told me he thought I had OC. There are some family doctors who are on the ball and do know about OC. Glad you are staying relatively calm about the finding. Cant do anything until you get a biopsy and hear the results. Try staying busy to keep your mind off worrying. Best wishes!!!
This is exactly why early detection thru having regular OC screenings while at the dentist is so important. Every single dental check up, every single year your dentist of hygienist should be doing a complete OC screening. If you or anyone else who reads this is not getting a screening, they should ask for one. If they still do not receive a screening then its time to change dentists and let the one you are leaving know why you wont be their patient any longer. This sounds extreme but it could save your life or the life of a friend or relative.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Listen to your dr. And go for it. Better safe than sorry. My GP is a big pile of awesome. Always on the ball. They know you best assuming you've been with them a long time.
Fingers crossed its nothing. My lump was initially inside my tongue. Best to have it checked.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | Linda - I sure do hope it's nothing but getting it checked is a good thing to do. That way, if it's nothing serious, you can quit worrying and if it is something, then you can start doing something about it. It is very important to get the right kind of Oral Cancer screening. Not all dentists are familiar with how it should be done. When I asked my dentist if he did exams for Oral Cancer, he quickly replied "Oh yes! every time a patient comes in!" Well, I looked at the OCF main page where it says "Dental Issues" and the description there did not match at all what my dentist did during the exam. So I printed out everything on how to do it from the OCF page, including a section just for dentists and gave it to him. The next time I went in, he did do everything right!. Here is the link on "How to know if you've had a good oral cancer examination": http://oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/how_do_you_know.html
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
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