| | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 | Hi there,
I was just diagnosed with T1 SCC. What is the typical time line from diagnosis to surgery. Is it normal to wait 20+ days? Does that seem slow? Or does that seem quick?
I just want to have this thing removed- and the surgery was just put off about a week.
Thanks and regards,
Sally
Sally, 38 years old
T1N0M0 Left Tongue Lesion, Moderately Differentiated
10 + year history Leukoplakia, Mild Dysplasia before cancer diagnosis 8/2011
Scheduled Partial Glossectomy & Neck Dissection 9-17-11
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | That seems average... Mine was a month's wait. But there were two weeks of Christmas holidays where everything slowed to a crawl! For me the sooner the better! It's an early stage so it's best to get it out ASAP... Actually I feel that way about all cancers if surgery is the primary treatment!  my surgery was probably way more involved than yours will be that's why it took a bit longer as they have specific OR times - my surgery ran 14 hrs! I wouldnt be happy about the delay but it's not too bad - more than a week I would freak! take care- and I know exactly how you feel I wanted it GONE!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 | Sallyanne, 20 days sounds to be a good schedule for you to have surgery. I was able to put mine off for alittle over 2 months, diagnosed in early June and surgery August 24th. It also gives you plenty of time to get a 2nd opinion.
You have alot to do to prepare for the upcoming surgery. Eat all your favorite foods. Make sure all your affairs are set up to have someone take care of things for you. Its so much easier to do this now with the bill paying online. Line up everyone who offers their help. Write down their name and number, especially their cell phone. Hopefully everyone texts in case you have any speech impairment after the surgery. Once you come home it would be helpful if people would do a load of laundry or pick up a few groceries for you. There are all kinds of things that a friend could do to help you. Make sure you have something to write on, just in case, like a dry erase board.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 | Hi Sally, once diagnosed anyone would like to get it off as soon as possible. There is no standard wait time. If you want to get a second opinion, you could use the time. But invariably, irrespective of the reasons it usually takes 2-3 weeks to go under knife. My father was diagnosed SCC on 1st Feb 2009 and he had his surgery on 16th Feb. It takes a while for the news of diagnosis to sink in. There is denial first, then panic and finally admission and then you actually start planning next course of action. Ours included getting opinion for CCC and finally opting for treatment at CCC. CCC doctor wanted to operate him as soon as possible but we needed time to prepare and ofcourse there was wait period at CCC.
Having said all this, if you do require adjuvant radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy post the surgery, just ensure that treatment is completed in < 100 days.
Father; 67 yrs; RIP: 2012/05/26
TX:SCC pT2N1M0G2;Glossectomy+SND+CCRT(59.3Gy+6xCis.)[2009]
TX:Nodal Mets; 3xDCF[2011/05/05]
TX: RND + PMMC Flap[2011/07/11]
DX:SCC PNI+ECE
TX:Re-RT 60Gy[2011/09/21]
TX:Gefitinib 250mg[2011/12/18]
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | There are "protocols" for time from diagnosis to surgery and yours certainly sounds like it is well within the time limits. My first surgery was 5 weeks from diagnosis to surgery, but I do grant that the Canadian system's biggest fault is that it is slower. Our doctors do however have the right to send a patient to the US for quicker treatment if they are going to exceed the treatment protocol limits.
Glad to hear it is T1 - good luck with the surgery.
Donna
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 79 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2010 Posts: 79 | I guess I'm an exception to the rule. I saw my regular doctor on Monday, he scheduled me to see the ENT on Tuesday, the ENT scheduled the CAT scan for Wednesday. The ENT's office called on Thursday and said he wanted to see me so I saw him again that day. He's the one that told me it was cancer and gave me the name of two surgeons. I picked the "Italian" guy and called him when I got back to the office. They were waiting for my call and he saw me that afternoon. He set up an appointment for me on Friday to see a dentist that specializes with oral cancer patients and then they operated on Tuesday. Quite a week! I'm glad it happened all so quickly because as it was, I had too much time on my hands to think about it all!
57 when diagnosed. Heavy smoker. Social drinker. Diagnosed 7/9/09 with tonsil, tongue & neck cancer. Chemo induction (Cisplatin, 5FU & Taxotere) & 35 radiation tx + 7 Carboplatin.
Head and neck CAT scan on 1/15/10 shows no cancer.
1/27/12 First PET/CAT scans in 2 years - All clear!!
recurrence mid-2015
OCF supporter and avid OCF CO and NJ walk attendee with worldwide friends
*** 1-7-16 passed away unexpectedly ***
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 | Mine went pretty fast, too. I was diagnosed on a Monday, saw the surgeon on Tuesday, then had surgery the following week. I'm very glad that I didn't have to wait around for it.
Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | I think the speed may have something to do with the staging - I guess the figure with a stage one or two thy hav a little wiggle room. Kudos to both our doctors! nd as always some hugs for doing so well!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 493 | That could very well be the case, Cheryl. Since mine was stage IV, they most likely didn't want to mess around with it.
Female, nonsmoker, 70, diag. 5/09 after tongue biopsy: stage IV. Left hemi-gloss. and left selec. neck disec. 30 lymph nodes removed May 20. Over 7 weeks daily rads. with three chemo. PEG removed 12/4/09 Am eating mostly soft foods. Back to work 11/09 Retired 4/1/11. 7 clear scans! Port out 9/11. 2/13. It's back: base of tongue, very invasive
surgery involving lifestyle changes. 2/14: Now speaking w/Passey-Muir valve. Considering a swallow study. Grateful to be alive.
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | OP Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 | Thank you for all of your responses.
My surgery has been confirmed for Sept 17. It's a Saturday- but they said that each of the doctors gets a rotating schedule where the doctors have their entire team working one Saturday per month. I wish there weren't so many patients with cancer to operate on- but I'm thrilled that I'll have the surgery in 11 days!!
Sally
37 (38 tomorrow), 10 years Leukoplakia history, T1 SCC, Surgery scheduled 9-17-11 at MSKCC. Ready to beat this and be cancer free!!
(will make sure that I update my signature properly before my next post!!)
Sally, 38 years old
T1N0M0 Left Tongue Lesion, Moderately Differentiated
10 + year history Leukoplakia, Mild Dysplasia before cancer diagnosis 8/2011
Scheduled Partial Glossectomy & Neck Dissection 9-17-11
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