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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 16
Sandra Offline OP
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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 16
I need some advice about what to expect after a partial glossectomy.

In July 2002 I had a lesion on my lateral tongue removed (carcinoma in situ).
In May 2003 I had another small lesion removed in the same spot (carcinoma in situ).
My ENT/head and neck surgeon has recommended surgery to remove a larger area. He wants to remove the top layers (1-2mm I think) over a large area of my tongue. While he called it a partial glossectomy it is different from what I have read here on the Board where some of you have had 50, 60% or more of your tongue removed. It is my understanding that he is not going to remove any part of my tongue except the top layers. He is not going to use a laser and he also told me that he would not use stitches. He would leave it as an open would which would eventually form a 'scab' and heal over. For my past two surgeries I had stitches.

Here are my questions and I would appreciate any feedback:

1. for those of you who have had partial glossectomies, how soon after were you able to speak and how clear was your speech? I teach and need to figure out how much time I will need to book off work.

2. what are the advantages and disadvantages of having your tonsils removed? I have discomfort in my throat which my doctor thinks may be caused by debris (ie. skin that has sloughed off) getting stuck in my tonsil. He removed some debris from my tonsil last week and said that if my throat improves than it would be a good idea to remove the tonsils. I asked whether it would make sense to remove the tonsil as a preventative strategy (can tongue cancer spread to tonsil cancer?) but he said that it would not make sense to remove the tonsils as a preventative strategy against getting tonsil cancer. He only wants to remove the tonsils if I find that my throat discomfort improves since he removed the debris from my tonsil.

I am a 31 year old female (non-smoker, non-drinker). Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,
Sandra

Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 546
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 546
Hi Sandra,

I don't know how helpful this will be because Heather's partial glossectomy was totally different from what you describe. But I remember that her speech wasn't bad at all, not much worse than a lisp. Her surgery was rather extensive and she was able to speak as soon as the trach tube was taken out, about 10 or 12 days after the surgery. It doesn't sound like your surgery will be nearly as extensive, so I would think you would be talking much sooner. Hopefully, someone else will have some better info for you.

Rainbows & hugs, wink
Rosie


Was primary caregiver to my daughter Heather who had stage IV base of tongue SCC w/ primary recurrence. Original diagnosis August 21st, 2002. Primary recurrence March 18th, 2003. Died October 6th, 2003.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 73
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Posts: 73
Sandra,
I had my first bout of tongue cancer at 32. They thought it was in situ and removed only a small area but didn't get clear margins. I had a second surgery to take more of the tongue (maybe a 1/5 to 1/4 on the side of my tongue) and also a modified radical neck dissection. All went ok and there was no cancer in the nodes. I was teaching at the college level at the time and was back in the classroom 2 weeks after surgery. I had some speech issues but they went away over the next couple of months with additional therapy.
ilene


ilene
SCC stage 1 1987, 1/4 of tongue removed, neck dissection, SCC stage 3 2000, another 1/4+ removed second neck dissection, radiation.
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 458
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Posts: 458
Sandra
Had partial glossectomy last September, doc removed about 1/6th of the left side of my tongue. Tried to do a graft that for some reason didn't take, but actually am doing ok without the graft.

Was able to talk on the phone and be understood the day after the surgery, although I sounded a little like Homer Simpson with a lisp. Pain was pretty much over with about 15 days after the surgery, 3 weeks later eating normally. Only long term affect was that I couldn't touch the right side of my mouth with my tongue, but after the wound healed completely I've done stretching excersizes and now the tongue is pretty much normal in movement and speech.

The partial glossectomy actually sounds worse than it is.

Hope this helps.
Bob


SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.

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