Hi my name is Leonard and we just found out last week that my father who is 64 years old has oral cancer. ENT stated he has had this for 3 - 6 months. We are waiting for authorization to have a biopsy and ct scan done so we don't know what were dealing with or to what extent. This waiting is unbearable for us. My father has never been one to complain and isn't. I spoke to him last nite and he is having a hard time eating. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep him comfortable. What do we have to look forward to? 3 - 6 months dx? Should he be in the hospital? So many questions help !!

First thing is to take a deep breath and calm down. Only a biopsy can confirm the cancer so you need to wait until those results come back. Even if it is confirmed as cancer there are many details that will have to be known before anyone here can begin to answer any questions you may have. We all know the waiting is horrible but there's not much you can do until the path report comes back. Without knowing what type of doctor told you he's probably had the "cancer" for 3 - 6 months, it's also hard for me to comment. Even if it's true it really depends on many other factors that no one can know at this point if that's a bad thing. I probably had mine for at least that length of time and it didn't change my Tx. It's fairly common for Oral Cancer patients to discover their cancer many months after "they had it".

Here's an excellent recipe book, "Easy-to-Swallow Easy-to-Chew Cookbook":

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Swallow-...mp;s=books&qid=1222224429&sr=8-1

Also, for the time being, look at the Ensure drinks for complete over-the-counter nourishment (three of any of the nourishment drinks like Ensure, Boost, VHC, etc., will provide all the daily vitamins) easily obtainbable in grocery stores and pharmacies.

Pete,

I'm going to check out that cookbook, too. Thank you, Lani

OCF has a relationship with Amazon. It can be accessed through the links on the main page of the web site and on the main page of the forums. If you enter Amazon through one of our links, they give us a 4% donation of your purchase amount. It costs you nothing except the click to enter their site through ours. It would be nice if we capitalized on this by using it, and telling others to help us by using it. Every little bit helps pay for the operation of this board and site.... Our biggest month for a donation from Amazon is December, but each month a few dollars come our way from them because people circulate emails, tell co-workers, and use themselves the OCF link into Amazon.

Thank you all for your support and good information. Once we know more about my father I will have many more questions !!!

Thanks for the reminder Brian! I had completely forgotten about the Amazon donation deal.

Hi Leonard..I am not new to this site but faily new to the whole oral cancer situation...I noticed something like a canker in my mouth about december last year and this month had the tumor removed...so if that helps at all all I know and if it is any comfort the waiting is the hardest just keep yourself busy and take one day at a time I am still waiting for results from surgery so yeah I have to say that the waiting is hard and as far as soft food goes it's was kinda trial and error for me..stuff I really liked then figured out how to mince it or soften it enough to eat it....Just keep encouraging your dad and do normal stuff...and just be there for him which it is obvious you are doing already...take care and one day at a time

Leonard:

Welcome to OCF. Glad you found this site, it will help you with your father. Do you know where your father's cancer is located? There are many kinds of oral cancer, it could be on his tongue, inside his cheek, in his throat or other places for it to be oral cancer.

To help ease his mouth pain ask either the ENT or family doctor for a prescription with refills for magic mouthwash. There are several variations of it, mine was benadryl, lidocaine, and malox. He would swish this around in his mouth for about 20 seconds and then spit it out before eating. It will help numb his mouth so he can eat better. If he is uncomfortable, he may also need some type of prescription pain meds.

Its pretty difficult for a doc to tell you the cancer has been there 3-6 months. I had what I thought was a canker sore on the inside of my cheek for at least 4 months before I got it checked. My doc told me it could have been there under the surface for a long time before it became visible.

Fighting oral cancer can be a rough road. You will find tons of support here. There is tons of info on the main part of the web site too.

I want to thank you all for you encouraging words and support. Well his tongue is in alot of pain, he has lost a tooth and today he tells us he has an ear ache now...My father will have a ct scan on 09/30/08 and a biopsy on 10/1/08. Will the ENT be able to have any answers for us once he does the biopsy and has the ct scan results? or will I still need to wait for path report to come back? Is there any questions at all I can ask the ENT the day of the biopsy? I also heard the ENT will be doing some type of fiber optic tests?

Leonard

The ear ache is related to the OC. I think there are a lot of us that had it. Most won't be able to discuss too much until the results are in. Ask the what if questions. Those get answered. Good luck with everything and keep posting.

The ENT takes the biopsy sample and then someone in a back room looks at it with a microscope and pronounces it good, bad, or early cell change, so it takes a couple of days. That report IS the patholgy report.

You need to wait until the path report comes back which usually takes a week or more but that is the ONLY way to determine if it's cancer. No doctor can visually tell. Waiting is a hard thing to do but we must be patient.

Well yesterday my father had a ct scan done and today he is having the biopsy. I got a call last nite, my dad thought he was having a seizure...I'm thinking it might have been a anxiety attack. My father is on vicodin but doesn't seem to be helping him, where he feels he needs to take more. What has been everyones experience on what pain medication works best?

Leonard

You have to be careful not to overdose on Vicodin. You have to remember Vicodin is really just extra strong Tylenol that can and will do serious harm. I would contact the Doctor and tell what is happening and he can give a stronger/different script to help with the pain or anxiety. Everyone reacts different...Percocet made me itchy whereas Vicodin made me constipated. Someone I knew had to take Oxycontin for the pain. Just be careful and get in contact with the Doctor.

My husband is one the Fentanyl 50 patch. He takes Hydrocodone for break through pain and this combo is working for him. The Vicodin really bound him up-not good. There are many options out there. The doctor should be able to help. We have also had great nurses who gave us suggestions.

Sue

Ask your fathers doctor for some prescription pain meds. I also used the patch. It worked great and that way your father wont have to be constantly taking medication. Its easy to use, just put a patch on and then change in 3 days later.

Thanks I will talk to the doc to see what's best for him, the patch sounds like it might be the best thing. I noticed alot of people talking about issues swallowing but have not seen any information on what can be used to help. My father is having a hard time swallowing anything. Someone mentioned magic mouthwash I went on internet and there's several different concoctions that the pharmacist will make (by prescription that is) but I also found a company called CutisPharma,INC that sells a kit called First-Mouthwash BLM. Has anyone heard of it or used it? I called the company and they sell it at various drug stores (by prescription only).

Leonard

Well we still have not had the results back from my fathers biopsy, he is in a lot of pain and cannot swallow his saliva. We are planning on taking him to ER as he has not been able to eat for 2 days now. Does anyone have any suggestions how to keep him comfortable? I mentioned in my earlier message about First Mouthwash but neither his doctor or the ENT will prescribe this until we get the results back from the pathologist on his biopsy. We are worried about him as he has not even started treatment but is unable to swallow....

Perhaps the doctors don't realize how much pain your Dad has.

Leonard,
I was prescribed a generic for Loritab known as Hydrocodone-APAP solution by my ENT when I had my Tonsillectomy and Neck Dissection.

Then, again a RO prescribe the same for me to have on hand during Radiation Therapy (I didn't realize it was the same until I picked it up).

I only had pain from the Tonsillectomy and a teaspoon of the Lortab every few hours took care of it and I could easily eat soft foods.

I have over a bottle and a half of it left.

I also was prescribe Lidocaine 2% Viscous Solution to help me swallow when I got mouth and throat sores from RT, but I never got any and I have never opened it.

I was told, unlike that Lortab, the Lidocaine doesn't stop pain for very long.

Lortab seems pretty common and I was told by a RO at the cancer center that for pain management it is what they normally like to start with and keep meds like the patches in reserve for when other pain meds fail.

You need to have a serious talk with the doctors and insist on something. You might mention the Lortab. Your Dad can only go a few days without fluids before he becomes dehydrated.

Leonard:

Sorry to hear your father still is suffering so much. Maybe I missed it, but exactly what type of facility is he being treated at? Did his doctors at least give him something for pain, hopefully the fentanyl patch? You mentioned an ENT, what is the other type of doctor he is seeing? My ENT prescribed meds for me, as did both my medical oncologist (chemo) and radiation oncologist.

As far as the First Mouthwash, sorry but I havent heard of that before. Most of us here have used Magic Mouthwash to get thru the pain of mouth sores. There are many different varieties of Magic Mouthwash, mine was lidocain, malox and benedryl. That with the patch and something for breakthru pain should do the trick.

If your father is unable to swallow anything at all, then that is something to be concerned about. I dont want to scare you, but is his throat swollen? Can he talk? Maybe its swollen inside. Has your ENT scoped him to see inside? If he cant swallow anything at all, the ER might not be a bad place to take your dad. I would be worried about his throat closing and his breathing. Nothing by mouth for 2 days will make him dehydrated and weak.

Please update when you can about your fathers condition.

Leonard,

I'm sorry to hear about what your father is going through. My sister also slowly lost the ability to swallow and was given a PEG tube. She had lost so much weight and hadn't begun her radiation or chemo, so there was a real concern about her ability to to survive the treatment. It made a huge difference and she was also given oral (liquid) morphine for pain (ear pain) management, it's placed under the tongue. It must be taken with food, or it can cause vomiting and having the PEG made is easy. Pain meds will cause constipation, so be sure to stay on top of that, or it can lead to vomiting. She also used a portable suction machine, since she lost the ability to swallow it made cleaning the saliva out so much easier. Hope this helps and I wish the best to your dad and you.

Nancy

Hi....just want to thank everyone on this website for their support and encouraging words. My father after being diagnosed with SCC in tongue and left jaw and 9 months of pain and suffering passed away on June 2, 2009. He fought hard and did whatever he could to live for him as well as his wife and us children. He went thru surgery to remove 80% of his tongue, removal of left jaw, bottom of mouth. He went thru chemo and radiation. Cancer moved to right side. He went thru the first round of chemo which did not work and brought his cells way down, finally strong enough he went thru Erbutux chemo along with radiation, this ultimately brought his body to where he could not tolerate anymore treatment along with severe burns from the radiation. He was hospitized for a month and came down with pnemonia. It has been very very difficult for me to accept his death, I pray everyday for peace. Again, thank you all.

Leonard C. Alvarado Son of Cruz F. Alvarado

I am so very sorry for your loss. I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer and I know there are no words to make the pain go away. It hurts so bad to watch our loved ones suffer so much and the end result be the same. Please take comfort knowing that your dad is no longer suffering and is in a better place.

Leonard, we are heartbroken for you and all of Cruz' family. He put up a valiant fight against this horrible disease and I too pray that you find the peace that will eventually come your way. Warmly, JaneP

Leonard, youhave all of the sympathy that I can muster. I watched my mother fight it for a few months and was by her side with my bothers and sisters when =she died, I knew she was going to a better place by the smile she hadand apparently she dsaw her nmother who died when my mom was born. There just has to be something to the better place.

Leonard,

Your dad was a very brave man to endure all that he did to try and beat this cancer. I am so sorry that it wasn't enough.

Leonard,

I'm so sorry to hear about your father. He was a very strong man. I hope peace comes to you soon.

I am so sorry for your loss. Many thoughts and prayers to you and your family.

Leonard -
I am so sorry to hear of your father's passing. My father also died after an extraordinary battle against lung cancer. After many years, I've come to realize that his fight, not his death, defines him for me. I pray you find the strength and peace you seek.

Marlene