Hi Everone:

I had 1/3 of my left tongue resected 6/13/07. I am on visit number 16 of 30 radiation treatments along with tri-weekly Cisplatin drips.

Last week, I noticed that my spit had gotten quite ropey and thick, almost like a phlem. I was asleep all of this a.m. and afternoon b/c of chemo fatgue. When I woke up my mouth was very, very dry and I went to the bathroom and noticed a red sore/rash type thing on the underside of my right tongue. It almost looks kind of veiny in that it's not shaped like a simple circle orsomething. It exists from the bottom of the tongue (where it meets the floor of the mouth) to the side of the tongue.

I probed around and didn't feel any bumps, and this thing looks like a red irritation of the skin of the tongue.

I have read about mouth sores and thrush, and how they can kick in around week 4 of radiation. Is this what I am dealing with? I have emergency appoint with my surgeon tomorrow at 1:00 for clarifcation.

Any thoughts/advice would be most appreciated.

Thanks again for your support,

Mike T
Cincinnati

Hello Mike

They usually have you start using"something" from the beginning to prevent these symptoms.

Read the links, and ask the doctor tomorrow.


http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/6/t/000688.html#000000

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/3/t/000483.html#000002

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/6/t/000575.html#000003

http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/ubb/get_topic/f/7/t/000031.html#000021

Petey

Mike,
Thrush is a fungal infection caused by, candida albicans, a fungus that is present in most individuals that only causes a problem when it has an opportunity to take over and area. Thrush usually appears as a whitish coating that can be wiped off with a gauze. It will come back quickly if not treated. It can cause pian and othe problems but is fairly easy to eliminate once it is recognized.
Mouth sores or, apthous ulcers, have a variety of causes; weakened immune system, trauma, damaged tissue, and dry mouth are a few of the most common causes. They can be difficult to treat but usually are manageable. They appear as a whitish to white yellow circular area with a very red border. They can be solitary or in groups ranging from small dots to as large as 2 cm in diameter.

You did not mention if the lesion under your tongue was sore.

E-mail me if you want any more info.

Cheers,
Mike

Given where you are in your radiation treatments I think you are getting the very expected (and due to get worse) mucocitis from the radiation treatments. You are at about the right time and level of exposure for this to start happening. There is not much that can be done for it except to eliviate the discomfort for short epriods of time. Different institutions treat this with differnt kinds of mouth rinses, but the commonality in all of them is that they contain some lidocaine or other anesthetic to take the pain of them away. If your doctor confirms this, they will appear in more and more areas, and in my case were so bad that I could no longer eat by mouth. PEG tube time. Please post back your doctors conclusion. If I am correct, there are tons of people here that will have coping mechanisms for you to try.

Mike,
When my mouth started doing the exact same thing yours is doing, at the same point in treatment..........I called my husband SO SURE that my cancer was back. I called my radiation nurse, begging her for an appointment. She told me it was the beginnings of mucositis and that it would only get worse. I so recall that conversation, I didn't have a cell phone at the time, was driving to the store, and stopped at a payphone when I noticed the stuff in my mouth.
Take a deep breath because it sounds like you are in the "normal" range for radiation treatment.
Minnie

Mike T: Post when you can and let us know how you're progressing. You are definitely in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.