Had a sore ulcer like lesion on left side of the tongue near the wisdom tooth. Was painful, had trouble eating, Family Doc referred me to a dentist thinking it was infection from the tooth, dentist told me to see an ENT. ENT said let there be biopsy! December 2 tongue was cut and pasted. Doc kept me an extra day. I asked the nurse "hey where is rest of my tongue?"
Well it was not so easy but I did.

She said ask the Doc. Doc came and said that big blob was cancer and margins were not good. Didn't know what that meant, But he said surgery went well. "Cool" I said, "So I am done with this pesky little cancer". He said no, we have to cut you up some more! Neck dissection! Check the Lymphe nodes and whatnot. But Doc, CT and X-rays were negative I protested.
Doc said, sorry but you tumor was too deep, gotta do panendsocpy and left neck dissection, "SOONER THE BETTER" He warned. So I said ok calm down already. You can do your surgery. So going to get cutup on January 6th. Would like to video tape it! FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES!


But the worse was yet it come, Frigging Arsenal lost to Manchester United AGAIN. Ridiculous! We (Arsenal) are never going to win anything.

Glad you found the site. Sorry to hear about your news but good that your doctor is on top of things. This type of cancer is not good and being aggressive is a good thing. Not always what we want to hear. I pray that they got it all and things go well with the next surgery.

I hope you don't have to go thru as much as a lot of us did. NMow they want to take my lower jaw bone off. Hell, I have had way too many surgeries along with rads, chemo and rad seed implants. Just finished my 3rd abdominal anneurysm surgery too. This after having 1/3 of my stomache wrapped around my esophagus. But all this and I am still alive and enjoying this reduced life.

Thanks EZ and Brandy,

Been reading the posts before joining, looks like lot of people have gone through much rougher ordeals.

EZ that is lot of surgeries, you are one heck of a brave man.
What was your first DX?

Are you being treated at a cancer center? If not it might be a good idea to get to one before you have another surgery. Surgeons cut and once its gone, its gone forever. Sure the ddocs can do free flaps but its not the same. Get another opinion before you have this surgery. It cant hurt anything to hear what a cancer center doctor has to say about your ordeal.

Thanks Christine, Surgery was done in Hospital by my ENT Doctor. Hospital has cancer patients (does this make it a cancer center?).

ENT Doctor told me since depth of the tumor was more than 4mm they can't just rely on CT results and have to do a neck dissection.

Anyway unlike many here, I can't claim innocence. I was warned that my bad habit would catch up. Well guess its time to pay the piper. That piper

Just because a hospital has cancer patients doesnt make it a cancer center. The difference is a cancer center will have a team of doctors to discuss your case in a meeting. They will form a plan to best treat you. You want to be treated at a cancer center where they are familiar with oral cancer. You do not want a doctor who sees a handful of oral cancer patients per year. You want someone who sees many cancer patients weekly. Here is a list of the best cancer centers.

http://oralcancerfoundation.org/resources/cancer_centers.htm

ENT's are surgeons, that's what they are trained to do. I you were me I would seek another qualified opinion from a CCC that Christine mentioned above.

I agree with Christine and Davidcpa.

With a tumor that deep a neck dissection is pretty much required. And I'd certainly endorse getting to a major cancer center for a second opinion. I am relatively early in the course of my disease, a SCC of the tongue diagnosed in September and have had the cancer removed. I plan to get a second opinion at a cancer center before proceeding further.

Hmmm, this has got me abit worried about my case. I seem to remember my ENT telling me my tumor was 15mm deep and I didn't have a neck dissection????

Minh

HI, Thanks everyone for your advise. I will certainly get a second opinion.

minniemoo, Are you sure your doc said that your tumor was 15mm DEEP, not 15mm in diameter? 15 mm is little more than half an inch.
I think usually 15mm (1.5 cm) diameter tumor would be considered small enough not to require neck dissection.

I will have to check with him when i see him in Feb i think. But i have told by other cancer patients that he is an excellent ENT so i wont panic just yet. Thanks NMT.

MINH

t that time was it's nothing and will leave. LOL Thye forgot to tell me wuth a scalpel to do it. Finally had my Surgeon check it when I was getting a sciope for Barretts. Ha had an appt. for me with a good ENT when I woke. Then the ball started to roll in the right direction. I had what I kept telling them cancer but didn't know about OC until then. OFC is where I got and still get my couarage. These people are the world's greatest.