#78396 08-08-2008 09:28 PM | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 | Hi, new here and very new at dealing with cancer. I have mouth cancer. I don't smoke, drink or chew. I stopped smokeing 32 years ago. They say my cancer is most likely cause from my partial rubbing. I went in on July 8th. 2008 to have a sore place checked and she took a biopsy. On July 11th. the butte image call me to confirm a appointment and when I said I didn't know anything about it, she said the doctor's office set it up and I said that means something wrong with the biopsy and she said yes. What a way to find out on a Fri, when the Doctors office would be close the next 2 days. When I went to doctor on Mon. she had already set me up for surgery. She wouldn't give me details or answers to my questions, besides she was going to take the place out and I didn't want mouth cancer. she order pre-surgery test, It was a mad week I'm worried to dead and trying to get test and records from other doctors become a night mare. I had surgery on July 24th. She come in and told me that she got all the cancer out of my mouth and that it was not in the bone. (she also told husband and family this) When I went back to doctor on Aug. 4th. she told me it was on the bone and she couldn't be sure she got it all. she told me I would have to make up my mind whather to have chemo and ratation, I said why would'nt I want it if it would kill the cancer and I ask again about the side effects of chemo and she munble something about hair lost. I told her at this point, hair was my least worry. I feel like she lied to me, I will never trust her again. When I try to ask her questions about the cancer and what to expect and she just kept talking about something else. The 4th. time I asked her she threw up her hands and said we could take your jaw bone out and take a place off your arm and patch it, you don't want that. I left there thinking it was so bad that she couldn't tell me. I wonder how long I would live, 2 months maybe a year. I went to the cancer center on Aug. 7th. They answered all my questions and more too. they told me the good and the bad. They are going to do a pet scan and give me radation and small amounts of chemo. they said it would burn my mouth and throat so bad I would have trouble eating they want me to get a feeding tube. I'm scare, but I feel so much better knowing what to expect. I got a copy of my records from the cancer center. It tells how deep the cancer was and all about it. one place catch my eye it says the wound was carried deeply to the mental area, what is the menal area of your mouth? I understand down in the muscle and the rest of it, just not the mental area.
mouth cancer Diagnosed July 11th.2008
Surgery on July 24th. to remove cancer between chin and gums.
pet scan being set up for end of month.
Ratation and small amounts of chemo will start in about 5 weeks after mouth has healed. will need a feeding tube.
66 year old female,
| | | | | 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 |
Wilma:
Welcome to OCF. It sounds like you have already gone thru some rough times with your treatment and have more to go. Its not an easy thing going thru cancer treatments, especially for oral cancer.
Its a good thing you have gone to a cancer center. Im sure it has eased your mind having answers to your questions. Im sorry but I dont know what they mean by the mental area either.
It would be helpful if you could add any info you know pertaining to your type of cancer and your treatment to your signature. It will help others to respond to your posts. There is alot of helpful articles on the main pages of OCF. Feel free to ask any questions you have here, there are alot of people that will try to help you thru this difficult time.
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: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,940 | Hey wilma.you sure are doing this tough girl.As to your question,i just wonder if you have read the word correctly i havent heard of this area,but i am sure if you have read it right brian or some other authority on anatomy will fill you in.The nearest i can get is the medial area.
its a good job you have found a cancer centre,and lets hope they continue to keep you in the loop.
liz
Liz in the UK
Husband Robin aged 44 years Dx 8th Dec 2006 poorly differentiated SCC tongue with met to neck T1N2cM0 Surgery and Radiation.Finished TX April 2007
Recurrence June/07 died July 29th/07.
Never take your eye off the ball, it may just smack you in the mouth.
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Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 | Thank for replys, yes I read it right and grand dautgher read it too.
I went and added to my signature, I will find out when I post this if I did it right, I'm new at this.....
mouth cancer Diagnosed July 11th.2008
Surgery on July 24th. to remove cancer between chin and gums.
pet scan being set up for end of month.
Ratation and small amounts of chemo will start in about 5 weeks after mouth has healed. will need a feeding tube.
66 year old female,
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,301 "OCF Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,301 | Hi Wilma,
Was the record you are reading from typed or hand written. I am thinking it may read mandible ?
History Leukoplakia bx 8/2006 SCC floor mouth T3N0M0- Verrucous Carcinoma.
14 hour 0p SCC-Right ND/excision/marginal mandibulectomy 9/2006, 4 teeth removed, flap from wrist, trach-ng 6 days- no chemo/rad.
6 ops and debulking (flap/tongue join) + bx's 2006-2012.
bx Jan 2012 Hyperkeratosis-Epithelial Dysplasia
24cm GIST tumour removed 8/2013. Indefinite Oral Chemo.
1/31/16 passed away peacefully surrounded by family
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Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,912 Likes: 52 | there is a mental foramen in the mandible about right under your bicuspid area. It is a hole in the bone that nerves pass through.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 | It is typed, it's talking about going thur the gingival area down to periosteum superiorly and leaving a margin as best as could be visualized with the 15 blade, extending into subcutaneum and down into the muscle. the 15 blade was then used to scrape the specimen off of the periosteum and bovie cautery was used for hemostasis. the wound was carried deeply into the mental area. don't know if that helps that is word for word part of the report. there is a lot more, she had to pull skim up from chin and lip area to cover. after she had stitched and was done she checked test that was done on a specimen taken at time of surgery she had to go and do more surgery to take more out.
Last edited by wilma42; 08-08-2008 10:44 PM.
mouth cancer Diagnosed July 11th.2008
Surgery on July 24th. to remove cancer between chin and gums.
pet scan being set up for end of month.
Ratation and small amounts of chemo will start in about 5 weeks after mouth has healed. will need a feeding tube.
66 year old female,
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 14 |
mouth cancer Diagnosed July 11th.2008
Surgery on July 24th. to remove cancer between chin and gums.
pet scan being set up for end of month.
Ratation and small amounts of chemo will start in about 5 weeks after mouth has healed. will need a feeding tube.
66 year old female,
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Wilma, Continue being pro active in your care. Ask all the questions you want and make sure you get answers that YOU understand. Take your daughter with you and write down all your questions and their answers. Ask any questions here as well and vent when you need to. The mental aspect of this cancer is 50% of the battle and it's often overlooked when you get treated for the cancer. You might want to read up on HPV as it may have been the cause of your cancer. Just click on HPV and it will take you to tons of info. You can have your cancer cells tested for the virus if you want to.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | Wilma,
The description of where the surgery was is using the term mental in order for the doctor to show the location of where the surgery was and you really don't need to bother too much about this. Brian, as always, is correct. This is the area where the bicuspid teeth are. These are the teeth right behind the canines and are the 4th and 5th teeth back from the middle.
It's unfortunate that your doctor refused to answer your questions and there is no excuse for that. It seems like maay members have run into this problem with their docs. I just don't get it. No one should be treated that way. It sounds like you are in a better situation right now.
Good luck with your treatment and keep us posted.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
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