Hello. My name is Melissa. I am 44 years old and was diagnosed in Jan. with Oral Tongue Cancer (invasive squamous cell - moderately differentiated). I had a sore on the side of my tongue which looked like a canker sore and didn't go away. One thing led to another and an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor biopsied it in early January and it came back malignant. The tumor was small - around 0.6 cm.

Next I had a wide excision done on the rest of the lesion on the tongue. The ENT (also a head and neck surgean) and oncologist were not entirely happy with the margin on one part of this surgery, so I had another wide excision done on the tongue two weeks later along with a modified neck dissection to check for micrometastisis to the lymph nodes (everything was done on the right side).

Before all of you wonder why a Stage 1 tumor warranted a neck dissection this is not my first encounter, so to speak, with cancer. In 1994 I was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer that had metastisized to 18 lymph nodes under my right arm while I was pregnant with my son. I was a candidate for very aggresive treatment and had a double stem-cell transplant with high dosage chemotherapy, radiation and mastectomy with reconstruction at the City of Hope in a clinical trial.

I am one of those super success stories that beat the odds the first time. I even went on to have a little girl seven years after treatment!!

After discussing the pros and cons of the neck surgery to look for metastisis I opted to be very aggresive like I was the first time I had cancer. I am very lucky in that the nodes (10 in all) were all enlarged but all came back negative for metastisis.

I never smoked and am an unusual person to get oral cancer. My oncologist has seen former transplant patients go on to develop oral squamous cell cancers down the road. The thinking in my case is that my immune system is altered from all the previous treatments and my mouth environment (without realizing it) was not functioning as well as it should - lower saliva and higher bacteria, etc. The City of Hope has conferred with my doctors so far on treatment and I am scheduled to see them with all my pathology and surgical reports to follow up and discuss monitoring my situation.

I have read some of the discussions and forums. I am keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers as you progress through treatments. I'm lucky this time so far, but believe me when I had high-dosage chemo at City of Hope and was in isolation and on morphine I can relate to all the difficult situations some of you are in right now.

I havn't discussed yet with the doctors (too busy just getting through the surgeries) about how to best take care of my mouth and neck for the future. For instance, I heard someplace not to drink alcohol. My one doctor said moderation is o.k. Any helpful hints, thoughts, information along these lines? Thank you everyone - hang in there and get through one day at a time!!

Melissa
First Im sorry to hear of 2nd time Cancer.
Sounds like you are ahead of the game, mine was stage 4 spread to my neck, found out it started on my tongue. Just got back from check up all is clear be 2 years in May. Keep up good dental care. Take care

Melissa,

I am surprised they didn't mention HPV as a possible cause. In all the posts and literature I have read, I have never heard of "my mouth may not have been working properly" as a cause of SCC. Anyway the treatment is the same regardless of how you came to get the cancer but it has been suggested that the outlook is better from HPV.

What Txs are they discussing after surgery? I assume chemo/rad.

Please let us know and welcome to this site. You will find it extremely useful as we all have.

WOW talk about a success story. Melissa it is a miracle you are alive. I can,t believe you survived your breast cancer with that many positive nodes. You truly are an inspiration to everyone on this site. Something tells me you are going to beat this one too. Lucky they caught it early. Keep on posting and keep on going strong and loving your kids.
Best Wishes,
Mark D.

Years ago when my tumor hadn't yet appeared but I was occasionally getting white spots under my tongue that were being biopsied, an oral surgeon had recommended that I not drink alcohol.

Shortly after that, my dentist was recommending an alcohol-based mouth rinse, so I checked with the OS about it and he said "Absolutely not!". I asked him if it was the consumption or the physical contact of the alcohol on my mouth and throat tissues that was important and he said the contact.

To be clear, I then asked if it mattered if I injected alcohol directly into my veins as long as I didn't put it in my mouth -- He started laughing, and then agreed that from an oral cancer viewpoint, direct injection was the way to go! :rolleyes:

Hello and welcome. First I want to say you and your family are in my prayers. My oncologist expressed that she was suprised that I had the cancer I had at my age and with my family history even though I smoked and had been a drinker in the past. She felt that it might be HPV related as well. It seems that there is quite a buzz about HPV right now. Again, welcome and you are in my prayers.

Hi Melissa,

What a story. I too had no risk factors for oral cacner and was an unlucky (or lucky depending on how you look at it ) young cancer survivor (32 at the time of surgery). I am 4 years out now with that wonderful 5 year mark approaching quickly.

Welcome, and keep us posted.

Jim