| | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | OP  Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | I just hit my one year anniversary of completing treatment this month. Things have been going well and I feel like I've made big strides physically in the past few months. I have a pesky sore on my tongue that will not heal but my surgeon has taken a good look at it several times and says it doesn't look concerning. But now I've found a white, rough patch on my gums underneath my back molar and I find myself scared and anxious all over again.
I'm actually so nervous that I've made two appointments. One with my dental oncologist on Tuesday and one with my surgeon on Thursday. Last time I had a gum issue a tiny piece of my jaw bone had died and needed to be removed. Hopefully it's just that again but it doesn't look the same and that was painful while this is painless. I'm more nervous this time for some reason. It looks like I'm in good company this month. I'm thinking good thoughts for everyone awaiting news right now and hope we all get clean reports!
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: May 2012 Posts: 114 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: May 2012 Posts: 114 | Hi Tracy! So sorry you are feeling anxious, but you are right to make the appointments to get it checked out and hopefully put your mind at ease. I truly hope it turns out to be nothing! Congrats on being one year out!
Amy CG to mom Janet - diag w/ early SCC 8/11-surg w/ rad neck dissect & graft from arm/thigh 9/11-evid in nodes tx 6 wks rads (5/wk) w/cistplatin (1/wk for 6 wks) began 11/11-wk or 2 break 12/11 due to severe side effects-done 1/12- 3/23/12 mets to liver lung bone-hospice 4/7/12-lost fight 4/22/12
| | | | | 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 | If its nothing you will have put your mind at ease - if it's something (praying it's not) then your diligence has paid off. Hugs and good luck
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: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | Thanks Amy and Cheryl. I appreciate the good thoughts. I saw the dental oncologist today. He painted the area with a blue dye to check for dysplasia. He said he thinks it is a squamos papilloma. That got me wondering about HPV again. My tumor wasn't tested for HPV because of it's location. Anyway, the DO said the area should definitely be removed. My surgeon is going to do it in his office on Thursday. Hopefully they will biopsy it quickly so I can know for sure what it is. So, I'm still anxious but trying to keep a lid on it. For what it's worth, the DO said it didn't look like cancer to him.
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 |
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | 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 | Hugs, luck and prayers headed your way...  waiting for biopsy results is brutal!
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: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | My surgeon did the biopsy today. He said he would be surprised if it turned out to be "anything to worry about." He only took a small piece of gum but I am in a fair amount of pain. I didn't expect that. I'm just taking over the counter stuff but it's only just taking the edge off. Anyway, I should have results by Tuesday. I am trying to take comfort in my surgeon's words but I don't think I'll rest easy until I know for sure.
I'm so grateful to have this forum to come to. It's comforting to talk to people who know exactly what it feels like to wait for biopsy results. I hate that so many are facing recurrence right now. I hate this stupid cancer.
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: May 2010 Posts: 224 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2010 Posts: 224 | Hope your surgeon is right! you are in my thoughts!
25/female at diagnosis
Dx;stage 3 SCC tongue 03/25/2010
Surgery 04/13/2010
Trach,ng tube, peg feeding tube
Hemiglossectomy, right side neck dissection, 40 lymph nodes removed. Free-Flap transplant to tongue.
30 rounds IMRT ended July 15,2010
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | OP Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | My surgeon just called to say that my biopsy was negative for cancer. It is lichen planus. That worries me a bit because that's how my tongue biopsies used to come back in the years before I was diagnosed with cancer. Surgeon said he will just be watching the area closely. I have an MRI in a few weeks and will breathe easier after that but overall, very good news.
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 177 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 177 | I am glad to hear no cancer. All we can do is be greatful for the little things and fight the big things if they come with everything we have.
Wendy
Wendy
46yrs@ DX 9/16/09 T1N0 SCC of leftlat tongue, poorly differentiated.Partial glosectomy 10/01/09 & 10/16/09 & 11/10/09 60-70% tongue removed, Radical fff, 38 nodes-clear, no rads/chemo. 3 petscans-clear
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