My husband had a partial glossectomy that turned out to be 1/3 of his tongue (this large of a portion was not planned - plans changed in surgery as active pathology was taking place). Radical neck dissection, 23 nodes out. One or two was suspect. Got good news 7/26 no cancer in nodes. Tongue margins "were close but we think we got it all." Dr. on vacation this week. Post op next Thurs. This all took place from week of 7/4 to now (sore, biopsies, surgery). Lightning speed. I am on needles and pins...if he was told no cancer in nodes and they believe they got it all in the tongue, is there a chance of no need for radiation or chemo? We have great insurance...I am so new to this...can you ask for occasional PET scans instead?

Hi Apappala,

As I said in your other post, you have an awful lot going on right now. Sorry you find yourself here but this is a great site for information and support.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that radiation and chemo will be recommended especially in light of the statement "were close but we think we got it all". I had surgery and my ENT felt that he got it all. Still, radiation and chemo was recommended.

As you begin to gather more information, please construct a signature. It gives a timeline and information that helps us understand more of what's taking place.

Positive thoughts and prayers.

"T"

No one here can answer that question but some do get away with only surgery saving the radiation, etc just in case of a recurrence. Problem with this cancer is regardless of how knowledgeable your team is there are just no guarantees whichever way is chosen. It's something we all learn to live with and only time overcomes that unnerving uncertainty.

Hi Apappala, and welcome -- I'm so sorry you and your husband are up against this. Some people find it invaluable to seek a 2nd opinion, so you can have the benefit of weighing two sets of medical opinions on your best course of action.

I'm new to all this too, but I think PET scans can only detect cancer that's already established. Radiation tries to eradicate cellular traces of cancer before they gain a toehold.

There are definitely people who are treated with surgery only, you can find a few here by looking at folks' signature lines. I would guess that many more have moved on and don't participate regularly in the forum, simply because they have fewer treatment issues and side effects to deal with.

I think it's fantastic that your husband has been treated so promptly and before lymph node spread, that's very much in your favor.

It depends if further treatment will be necessary. What do the doctors say? What is the T stage? That matters, as does clear margins, extracapsular spread, other adverse featurees, like perineural, lymphovascular invasion, close margins. I had close margins last May from a neck dissection, with adverse features, and needed chemo and radiation, minimum, and less than a month, cancer went to the elliptical layer of the skin. I wound up having a resection with a flap, high dose IORT radiation, and chemoradiation. They are not going to substitute PET scans for treatment of cancer, If it's needed. Good luck.

Hi, i had the same as your husband 2 years ago. no radiation. It was decided.to keep that back just in case.