Hi, i'm very pleased to have found this forum. I was diagnosed with tongue cancer while doing temporay work in england and had my operation there. A partial glossectomy, left neck dissection and tongue reconstruction done from a radial forearm flap. they found a tiny .9mm tumour contained in one of the lymph glands close to the sie of the tumour on the tongue and decided not to do radiation which was a relief for me. my english medical team have told me that i'll need check ups every 6 weeks in the first year post operatively.

i am now back home in south africa and still don't know very much about this form of cancer and it's treatment,so any information would be appreciated. (i will be looking through past messages)i would also like to communicate with anyone who has experienced oral cancer including people who have had a similar operation with a view to sharing experiences. i am experiencing problems with the function of my forearm arm and some eating problems..all of which are apparantly `normal'.

looking forward to sharing.

That is very inspiring, I am 27 with oral cancer and my surgery date had just been set for September 16th! Im ready for war!

Gail, welcome to OCF. You are in the right place to learn more about oral cancer. There are many members who have had similar surgery as you. Im sure you will hear from them. Please remember, everyone is different and will react differently to the same procedure. We all have different side effects. You are one of the few who have not had radiation so your recovery and side effects should be less than what it would have been with having rads. Best of luck with your continued good health.

good luck with your surgery, nate. the waiting is not easy. are you experiencing a lot of discomfort? i waited from april 26th til 24 may for my op. i past the time reading and watching my first english spring. may not be your thing but i found it amazingly beautiful. kept reminding myself to focus on what was happening to me right there in the moment and not focus on what might happen in the future. it was quite a surreal experience. I couldn't eat much except soup during the last few weeks...used to love it...but have only just started eating it again.

thank you christine. i am doing very well and am grateful for that...just would like to know more about the recovery process. looking forward to making some buddies and being one. hope your recovery from surgery is going well.

Good Day to All
I had surgery for Stage 4 oral cancer June 22 2010 and had my lower right jaw removed and had the bone and such from my left leg used for the transplant.I had the surgery at Boston EET in MA. I am waiting for both wounds to heal so I can start radiation.I do have an infection right now in the leg.I am not very up to date with all the medical terms of my surgery as after I heard the word cancer back in April my brain when in shut down mode and my Wife has handled all the load.
The Chemo seems to be out for me due to a pre existing health issue with my immune system. They did mention ERBITU as a stand alone injection. Has anyone used this drug alone with radiation after surgery.
Regards
Herbert