Hello to all. I guess this isn't the place that we want to be, but who does. I'm from Reidsville, NC and a patient at Wesley Long Cancer Center in Greensboro, NC. I have been diagnosed with tongue base stage III squamous cell carcinoma. I will be having a G tube and port put in this week and will start my rad and chemo the following week. My team at the cancer center has answered a lot of my questions and recommended this site to get a better understanding of what is and will be occurring during and after my treatments. I'm hoping I can get some good data, as I'm sure I will, from all of you who are going through or have been through this cancer. Hope that all of you are doing well, or as well as can be expected throughout your journey with this dreaded disease.

Welcome to OCF, Chuck! Im happy you were referred to our site. We are in your corner ready to help you with info and moral support to get you thru the next few months.

Howdy, Chuck, and welcome. Sorry you have to be here, but here is a great place for information and support. Fire away with your questions, we're you're new family.

Hi Chuck, Getting a port is a good idea. What is a G-tube? Do you have any questions for us?

Hi QueenKong, actually PEG is the correct terminology. It is a feeding tube inserted into my stomach. At some point, the doctors feel pretty sure that I won't be able to swallow food very well, if at all.
Chuck59

Hello Chuck. I'm in the pro PEG group , many are not. At some point during radiation you will have great difficulty swallowing and the PEG will save your life. However you must continue to swallow, whatever you can. Custard, eggs, Ensure etc. If the swallowing muscles are not used , we very very quickly forget how to use them. Many here have swallowing issues post treatment.
Hoping you sail through treatments,
Tammy

In Canada, everyone calls it a G tube, but it seems PEG is the commonly used term in the U.S. If you find yourself not able to swallow even Ensure or eggs during treatment, you MUST still diligently do your swallowing exercises, even dry swallows. It is vital to the recovery of one's ability to swallow post treatment.

The PEG is a G tube that is inserted using an endoscope down the throat. PEG stands for Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastronomy, with the PE being the placement method. Some Gastronomy tubes are placed using interventional radiology. For example, after my husband's mandibalectomy, the flap was too fragile for using an endoscope.

It's very important that the body get the nutrients needed to heal, but swallow as much as possible even through the pain.

Susan

Hi Chuck,
Welcome! You found a great source of assistance with many very caring people! I am also a PEG tube supporter and I agree that a PORT is the right way to go. DO NOT be bashful about using that tube, it's there for a reason and nutrition is critical to successful treatment and recovery. Best wishes for successful treatment and everyone here is very helpful and always here for one another!

Welcome Chuck. My doctors were in the anti-PEG camp, at least for me. But like most things the decision should be a medical one, not whatever you might read on the internet. Doctors make assessments on a range of factors before making decisions about things like PEGs, it shouldn't be considered automatic. I'm glad I avoided one, but I don't think either path is a picnic.

You've found a good site here with some amazing people. I hope your treatment goes smoothly, please let us know how you go.

Hi Chuck
Welcome to a fantastic group of people here at OCF.

Go ahead and ask all the questions you have . There is usually someone here who has gone through what ever question you have . We all pitch in our experience and are here to help .

Good Luck
Heidi

No way could I eat orally after about 25 days into treatment. My sense of smell and taste were so fouled up that everything smelled abhorrent.

I had a PEG and had a love/hate relationship. I couldn't have done it without it. But the operation and the discomfort of having it are not negligible.

I was also diagnosed with the same. They went straight to chemo and rad without any surgery? Sorry if that's a dumb question. Denise

Denise the treatment plan can greatly vary depending on size, location and staging of the tumor. Each case is individual and slightly different. Treatment plans should not vary due to where the patient is treated but I would be surprised if the NCI guidelines were always adhered to at every facility. Best thing a patient can do is seek out the very best medical team of professionals they can and go with it. Second guessing only causes unneeded stress at an already very stressful time.


PS... Please use the link in the PM I sent you to make a signature. Thank you.

Niecy... is your cancer oral (inside the mouth ?) or down the throat) base of tongue? Many confuse the two. If it is an actual tumor in or on your oral tongue (usually under on the side) It's generally best treated with surgery. There was an interesting video the other day about the standard treatment and covers all the standards of treatment. If it's related to HPV - base of tongue or tonsillar then rads and chemo is your best bet right out of the gate as this type of cancer (HPV related) responds best to Rads and chemo. However non HPV oral tongue, oral mucosa cancer is usually treated surgery first and then follow up with rads and chemo. That is the standard.

Hope this clarifies things. Hugs.