One of my life's objectives was to not start a New Topic on this particular sub-forum of the OCF Forums, but like my other objective of never meeting an oncologist in his/her professional capacity, I have now officially failed at both!

I had a punch biopsy done under the tip of my tongue because it was getting very sensitive and swollen (my teeth were starting to leave grooves on tongue front), with some clear speech problems.

Came back with 'poorly differentiated SCC'.

I had a tumor removed from under right side of tongue in Fall 2005, after 15 years of white spots and biopsies with dysplasia and keratosis. Completed my XRT series in Jan 2006, so I'm two years, five months past that. Had a biopsy a year ago and only had mild dysplasia.

Had MRI two days ago and will have CT/PET done on Monday. Tuesday I will meet with Dr Hakenslash at UnivWash Cancer Center and Wednesday he will take case to Tumor Board (Combined UW with Fred Hutchinson CC in Seattle).

On Wednesday, I am headed to the dentist for a possible root canal, having just had one three weeks ago. For sure this is going to be a Schedule A tax year!

My ENT said that most likely I will have tip and underside of tongue removed and a 'free flap' procedure done using tissue from my forearm.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11735815

I am practicing speaking with tongue flat and using lips to enunciate and it works so I'll be keeping my cell phone <g>, although a 'G' is hard to do that way.

I am really building up quite a CD collection of CT and PET scans and now I have an MRI scan. Fascinating stuf! Wish I knew what I was looking at...

The good news is that I believe I've had my Lifetime Limit of radiation (XRT), so I won't have to do that again!

BTW, I highly recommend punch biopsies over the Cut 'N Stitch kind -- The procedure pain was a little higher, but it faded fast and healed quickly -- No irritating stitches or gaps in flesh to deal with. Two Thumbs Up!

Pete,

If another one of your life's goals was to face adversity with humor and good spirit, I'd have to say you met that one with high honors. Nobody likes reruns, so let's hope the treatment plan knocks this stuff out permanently for you.

Pete,

Sorry to rain on your parade but some here have said their RO's are finding ways to radiate us a second time. You might want to bring that topic up. If it's necessary, it may very well be useful.

They can also do cut and snip biopsies which are not sutured. It depends on the tumor type and location.

Your opening line was sad and funny at the same time!

David, I read the re-radiation threads before posting and felt that with XRT it was unlikely that I would have much margin left unless I was further along than this, metastasis-wise. I will certainly bring it up in consultation this week.

Suess and Gary, as one of my former colleagues as a Corporate Cubicle Convict used to say, "We don't get paid much, but we sure get a got of laughs!". The fun is where you find it and we do have choices -- It's much easier to laugh at it when it's you yerownself and not someone else.

Putting some background material together for Dr Hakenslash, I counted ten biopsies since 1991 on tongue lesions and tumors. Nine were sutured and one was punch; I'd have preferred punch on all <grinz>.

Pete, I can't say it's nice to see you post this way again. You have me wondering if maybe a punch biospsy isn't the same as a needle biopsy. I have had those as well as the cut and sew kind. LOL I prefer the needle. I want to wish you good luck and hope for the best for you.

The punch is like a needle, only bigger. It's essentially a tube with one end sharpened. Doc twirls it on tissue to cut it in, removes tool, grabs tissue cylinder with forceps, pulls and cuts. Sounds worse than it is -- Local anesthesia, of course.

Here's a photo of a set of various sizes from 1.5 to 8mm (Hmm, that one's a bullet hole of 31 Caliber!), mine was 3mm:

http://www.claflinequip.com/ProductDetail/zoom.asp?img=CESS-5911-00.jpg

Also, I think the needles come in much longer lengths, like for kidney biopsy.

There were many moments between my diagnosis and my surgery where I asked for a hole punch to do my own removal, lol. Somehow I resisted (and the folks at work hid all the hole punches) and let the doctor do it. I'm not sure what type of biopsy I had, my original ENT wasn't very informative, but he removed 4 plugs of my tongue and there was no needle or stitches involved. I'm thinking it might of been the punch type from what you describe. I'm with you..he numbed me and there was no pain to speak of...it's about the only thing about him that was right.

One thing I learned when Fulltiming in an RV, not really knowing where I would next see a Doc, is to keep (and carry) copies of all my lab work, biopsies and now scans (loaded into computer and on disk). Only thing I don't have is a specification of exactly what XRT treatment I had -- I need to go back and get that one!

I put all my lab work on two sheets, starting about 17 years ago, so I can hand a copy to any Doc and he/she has it all!

Thanks Pete, now I know the difference. I think i'll go for the 22 caliber size. J/K