Hello. I had stage 2 well differentiated tongue cancer. Had part of my tongue removed then had radiation for 6 weeks Monday through Friday on both sides of my mouth.
I'm 2 months out of radiation and 6 months from my operation. Everything was going great until yesterday I woke up and my tongue had a sharp pain on the opposite side of where my cancer was. It looks like a small cut but I'm scares death it has come back just as thing started to get better. I'm thinking maybe I hurt it while eating normal food.
Called my oncologist. She said to wait until Monday and if it wasn't getting better schedule an appointment. She said she think that since I've only been talking and eating normally for two weeks I probably just injured my tongue but I can't calm down.
What do you think?

Hi,
My gut feeling is that you should listen to your oncologist. Yes, it could be something I suppose, but likely that you injured it somehow, and it is easy to do. Your mouth has been radiated so it is both sensitive and suceptible. I remember biting my tongue early on as well. It scares you even when you know you bit it. Have it checked out, but try not to stress about it. I know it is easier to say/write this statement than to actually not stress, but it sure won't do any good.

Best,
Anne

Thank you for responding to me. It means a lot. I'm truly hoping I just cut it on my tooth from the awkward positions I have to maneuver it to eat. I'm salt water rinsing every chance I get.

No prob! Make sure you have baking soda with that salt so you can neutralize the acid environment. It will dry your mouth out though. From what you just wrote, I am as sure as I can be long distance that you just injured your tongue. It won't be the last time either.
Anne

Yeah. I kind of jumped right in and just started plowing through foods. When I found out I could eat pizza that's all ive been eating. It looks nothing like the cancer I had. It looks like a tiny cut. I started putting kanka on it and salt water and straight salt and it has turned white. Like a white tiny line.

I'm just sO worried

Honestly my tongue was so swollen at the it would rub against my teeth on th good side and cause pain. I'm 17 mos out of rad and some foods still set me off and cause soreness. It's bery possible you'v hurt you tongue... I'v even bitten mne. Try not to panic... Hugs!

Thank you for replying. The waiting game is the worst. I truly hope I just injured my tongue. To think after all I've been through to lose it all so quickly.

Going to see my oncologist tomorrow morning. It's driving me crazy. I'm hoping it's nothing or she can tell its not cancerous. Hoping I won't have to have any tests that I'll have to wait for results for.

Glad your appointment is so soon! Please try to do something fun (maybe a movie or shopping or both) this afternoon/evening to distract yourself.
Best wishes,
Jean

It's still killing me. I truly hope I just irritated my tongue. I'm 2 months out of radiation. Doesnt this seem really unlikely.

It does not sound like anything you need to be worried about. Sounds like you just hurt yourself eating which is very easy to do when relearning to eat again.



PS.... It would greatly help to respond to your questions by using your signature as a guide. Please add one. Thanks!

I'm glad that your appointment is Monday and hopefully you mind will be set at ease. Best of luck, my friend.

P.S. I like your OCF handle...Winteriscoming...

I'm sorry you're so worried. My tongue was a mess at two months out from radiation. Still is sometimes. The tissue is so sensitive in there and it seems really likely that you just irritated or injured it somehow.

Saw my oncologist. She said no way could it have come back this quickly, took a look, said it was surface irritation and even if it doesn't heal in a week that if I come back we will ONLY be looking at ways to heal it. Thank god.
Still have that little voice in my head saying "it still could be" but I'm ignoring it. It would be easier if it just healed.
Have anyone of you injured your tongue post treatment and it took a while to heal?

Really glad to hear your good news. It just takes radiated tissue longer to heal, and you are certainly not alone with this problem!

WIC

Great news. RELAX. That little voice in your head is wrong.
I have not heard of anybody who has had radiation to their tongue , healing fast if they get an injury post treatment. Radiation is the gift that keeps on giving. It will always take irradiated tissue longer to heal.

Charm

The progress as you get out from radiation is painfully slow in my experience. I had a little ulcer on the back side of my tongue for almost 4 mos. It was horribly painful!! I am not sure exactly when it went away, but around 5-6 mos out- it was gone & I felt great!!! I swear in those first months it could have taken a feather to cause another sore!! Time is your friend in the healing process! That little voice- we all know it well!! Keep it around as our instincts a great defense, but hopefully you can silence it for now as the experts have been in there to quash your worries.

Here's to healing!!

Thank you so much. I'm afraid I'm going to be a nut job until it goes away. How did you survive 4 months?!

Why does it take so long to heal after radiation?

WIC

The technical answer is that radiation damages not only the cancer cells but also healthy skin and tongue. According to the National Cancer Institute at NIH (National Institute of Health)
[quote]Slow healing and infection are indirect complications of cancer treatment. Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy can stop cells from dividing and slow the healing process in the mouth. Chemotherapy may decrease the number of white blood cells and weaken the immune system (the organs and cells that fight infection and disease). This makes it easier to get an infection.[/quote]
Unfortunately, this means that the your tongue can't heal normally.
Charm

Re healing slowly: oh yes, especially as early afterwards as what you are. Doesn't that make sense?

And when I had a little fibrosis in one spot, the doc said that's nothing, leave it alone. To biopsy will only create more scar tissue, and it is nothing anyway. And you will likely have little areas where you will feel fleeting pains, etc, etc. I know you/we are supposed to be ever vigilant, but you'll drive yourself crazy if you react to everything.

You'll be able to figure it out better as you do react, see the doctor, and get the same message you just got. So, yes, relax.

Anne

Thanks. That's great advice.

WIC,
Going back to an earlier statement you made but I don't know how to caption things...WE are ALL nut jobs about this stuff!! ;o) Everyday is an adventure!! Glad all is well.
Kathy

It's just so hard to remember how this all started and have something even remotely similar happen scares you to death. Logic turns off.
I just wish it would heal. So I can just move on and not have to worry even a little bit which feels like a lot a bit

Hello, after radiation, everything heals slowly. I am now 2 years and 1 month out. I still have weird aches and pains in my original tongue and weird "booboos" that appear and go away...I just have to try and wait them out, that is the hard part. The first few were tough, but i try to wait at least 2 weeks, sometimes a month before I call my oral surgeon about it.
Once you are burned by cancer, it's hard not to think every little sore or pain will be again, but try to relax and stay calm. It's not cancer until a biopsy says so, and just try to wait it out and give it some time. Hang in there!