Hi everyone,
My name is Chris and I'm a 46 year old male.

I had a small area on the floor of my mouth that was giving me a burning sensation on and off for a few months (that I can recall). I had thought it was an irritaion from toothpaste or from my hot sauce addiction:) Anyway, to get to the point I startted to get concerned since I used to smoke (20 years or so...quit 3 years ago) so I started researching oral cancer and found this site. After scaring the hell out of myself I made an appointment with my Dentist. He had told me that he has only seen 5 cases in his entire career and was willing to bet it wasn't SCC. To be on the

Chris, welcome to the site. Sorry you had to find us, but now that you have, hope we can help. To start, your post seems to have ended kind of in the middle. Judging from your topic and what you appear to have been about to type in, sounds like you went to another doctor, an ENT perhaps?, who diagnosed you with SCC of the floor of the mouth, perhaps in the tongue as well. If that is the case, I would strongly recommend you get to a cancer center where hundreds of cases like yours are treated annually and all of the doctors are very experienced with treating SCC. You may be in line for radiation, chemotherapy, surgery or some of those treatments. Don't panic. We have all been there before and this disease can be beaten. It just takes some effort and the right team of doctors and other healthcare professionals to see you through. Whatever happens, we will be here to help and comfort you as we have for many others. Will add you to my prayers.

Sorry...hit the key by accident

Hi everyone,
My name is Chris and I'm a 46 year old male.

I had a small area on the floor of my mouth that was giving me a burning sensation on and off for a few months (that I can recall). I had thought it was an irritation from toothpaste or from my hot sauce addiction:) Anyway, to get to the point I started to get concerned since I used to smoke (20 years or so...quit 3 years ago) so I started researching oral cancer and found this site. After scaring the hell out of myself I made an appointment with my Dentist. He had told me that he has only seen 5 cases in his entire career and was willing to bet it wasn't SCC. To be on the safe side he sent me to an oral surgeon for a biopsy on 10/19. I went for my follow up today and got the bad news:( He seemed pretty optimistic that we found it early but I

Thanks for the kind words Kirk:)

I have an appointment tomorrow morning with an ENT. It was the oral surgeon who did the biopsy and sent it to Temple U. in Phiadelphia.

Hey Chris,
Welcome and know that many have gone ahead of you in this and are here to post about it all! You will definitely find caring people here with lots of information. Get a great support group behind you. We had God, some church friends and family and that helped us get thru.
Take care and God bless,
Debbie

Hi Chris & welcome! We're about the same age. I'm 43, wife & 3 kids! Really sorry you have to be here but we are here for you. My best advice is to educate yourself as much as possible so you can be an informed patient. Get yourself to a comrehensive cancer center with a tumor board that practices team medicine & has lots of experience with this cancer. My best to you & don't forget to breath & realize you will get through this to be there for your 15 yr old & new child! Your friend Erik!

Thanks folks for the kind words...I'm sitting here waiting to go see the ENT doctor. I didn't sleep a wink last night, I'm trying to be rational and calm but it very hard at this point:(

I'll keep you posted...

-Chris

Chris
Never a day goes by that anyone touched by the c word doesn't worry, the key is to carry on in the knowledge that you have people looking after your best interests, your ENT, your oral surgeon,your loved ones,your new friends on the board and your very own self & God. I pray that you are in the earliest stages, that you will be talking about your second child at 15 with such care as your first, and that your journey is not a hard one. Some of your path report seemed very encouraging..dysplasia being pre-cancerous (NOT cancer) in situ meaning NOT spread and the size I hope is as small as can be.
Hope & prayers for you, take care.
Maria

Hi Chris,

I'm a 48 yo dentist who has been battling this for the last 18 and one half years. I posted my story of survivorship a day or two ago in this same forum. It's there to help people just like you. Please stay strong and know that everyone here is thinking about you. If I can answer any questions for you, please feel free to ask. Take care.

David

Well I saw the ENT Doc. He thought the path report was not too bad and examined me very throughly. Nothing in my neck concerned him. He feels that this is very very early T1 NO. He is setting me up for a PET/CT. We will see what that shows. He wants to do a wider field biopsy. He spent quite a while with me and seems very bright. I will see what the PET?CT shows and make further desicions. The area in my mouth is so small he thinks surgery alone may be enough. Of course I will get another opinion from the other Doc in his practice plus talk to a radiation oncologist.