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This morning I was in an interesting discussion about who first noticed the spots that would become oral cancer.

Mine was a periodontist over ten years ago. He sent me to an oral surgeon that scared the living shit out of me. Even before a biopsy, he was telling me about cutting and patching, plus I really didn't like the man or his chair side manner. I decided to get a second opinion and ended up with my current surgeon.

My current surgeon is a general surgeon and is known as one of the best in our tiny state. Over the years he did three biopsies and all were negative, just pre-cancer cells. Just moved on and went back to smoking. The fourth biopsy came back positive.

I guess my question is, who first found your cancer? Your dentist, general doctor or yourself by doing a self examination?

Oral cancer from discovery through treatment is a journey. (Just quoting from my earlier conversations, but the best way I have had it expressed.) Where did your journey begin?

Anne.


Anne G.Younger
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Hi Anne,
It has been a long time. You were the first person I talked to after my cancer treatment. I have been reading your posts and know you are still out there helping others. Thank You!

I went to the dentist in July 2000 to have a tooth pulled, he said all was fine. In August I found the sore on the right side of my tongue. Went to my family Dr. who put me on antibiotics for ten days, no change. Next stop ENT, biopsy, surgery (1/3 of tongue), bilatteral neck dissection, trach, feeding tube, etc., then the oral surgeon to have all teeth removed prior to six weeks radiation.

It has been eighteen months and still cancer free! Each day does get better! I still have some problems with burning tongue, neck and shoulder pain. I just got dentures two weeks ago and have to relearn to speak and eat (again). As Gilda Radner said "Its always something".

My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in this journey. Take Care.

Anita

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Anita, Wonderful to hear from you and that all is well. I'm going to be having a jaw bone graft soon to enable me to get implants. I've had two bridges done and they just don't cut it. Again, so glad to hear all is well. Please keep in touch and please post on the forum when you get the urge. Take care. Anne.


Anne G.Younger
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In 1989 I was reading a Good Housekeeping magazine just before our guests were to arrive for Thanksgiving dinner. I had noticed this greenish looking "sore" in my mouth a few months previous but didn't give much thought since it really didn't hurt or cause any problems. Also, I had never even heard of tongue cancer---I didn't even realize that it was possible to get cancer on your tongue. How stupid was I?? I was 34 years old at the time raising two kids, cancer was not something I ever even gave thought to. Anyway, to make a long story short, after reading that tiny little article that day I made a dental appointment the following Monday and thus began my journey with oral cancer. In 1997, I had a recurrence after getting the flu, a high fever and a mouth full of what I thought were fever blisters. I was wrong, but this time smart enough to have the problem looked at right away. That recurrence cost me over two thirds of my tongue along with chemo and radiation. Thankfully I have been cancer free for five years. Sincerely, Donna


SCC first time 1989, with a diagnoses of 'cancer in situ' removed lesion, no other treatments.
SCC recurrence 1997 of tongue and floor of the mouth. Stage III /IV Hemmiglossectomy (removed over 60% of tongue/ floor of the mouth), free flap, modified neck, RAD and Chemo(cisplatin, 5fu) simutainously.
Cancer free 6, yes, six, years!
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My mother started complaining of a sore throat in November of 2000. She complained off and on throughout the winter and into the spring, but said it was not constant. No one ever thought of cancer. She didn't mention any spots on her tongue and when it was found it was way on the side in the back. She went to her internist in early April and when he looked at her tongue he marched her right down the hall to an ENT who did a biopsy which came back positive. Turns out my mother had not been to the dentist in over a year. I think she was living right by the river "DENIAL".


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Hello.....it was a few days before we were to go camping, my husband was shaving and came down to ask me if this lump he had seemed odd to him. I felt it, my Mom etc. We all thought it was viral, but made a Dr appt anyways, since we didn't want him sick for the trip. The Dr took the lets get the bad news out of the way, wanted to rule out Hodgkins right away. Sent him to our first ENT and we were told he had a muscle pull, gave him steroids. Well after a great camping trip, the lump (of course) was still there. Back to the ENT who seemed shocked, "was this lump this big when I saw you last??" Yes it was, the man must have been sleeping. Well he did a biopsy and it came back Tonsil Cancer, Dan said the Dr seemed more upset than he was. So gut instinct wims out everytime. Just bothers us still that his everyday doc seemed more concerned at first than this ENT.
Dan had his last Radiation and Chemo in Oct 2001, had a Head and Nect CT in Jan, clean, had his last Chest CT 4/29/2002, will find out the results on May 9th, thats the hardest part for me. The waiting.

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I started to notice that my mother was constantly drooling. So bad, she always had a hankie at her mouth. I thought it was her dentures and that they weren't fitting right. Family members kept urging her to go to her denturist, but she just would never go. It never occurred to us there may be another problem. Finally, we'd had enough and made the appt. for her. They took one look at her tongue & referred her to an ENT the next day. She had an MRI, then a biopsy & the new's that she had tongue cancer. Today, my mom just finished her last day of radiation and we are anxious to see her start to heal & get better. We know that it takes a long time to start to feel better.


Susan

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