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#37313 05-02-2004 04:23 PM
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I had a partial glossectomy & lymph node removal in December. I really have no problems with my speech, but I was wondering if the chemo & radiation treatments (which I start tomorrow) will affect my speech any?


Partial gossectomy & lymph node removal 12-03, Oropharynx, Stage IV
#37314 05-02-2004 05:33 PM
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I would guess that any change in your speech will be only temporary due to sores in your mouth caused by the radiation. At the end of my rad/chemo, just when I was ready to celebrate, I lost my voice, which happens to some people, and was reduced to a very soft whisper for about two weeks. There are many posts here on how to survive the rigors of radiation, and you can ask questions as you go along. Here is one tip. Before I lost my sense of taste all together, the chemo gave me an annoying metallic taste in my mouth which I found was relieved by sucking on honey lemon cough drops. Radiation is no picnic, but you can get through it. I am convinced that while I had great surgeons, it was the rad that saved my life and I would do it again in a minute. Keep that thought in mind and it may help you, as it did me. And let us know how you are faring. There are lots of us here to help you.

#37315 05-03-2004 03:40 AM
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I had a near total glossectomy in November and radiation didn't affect my speech just my swallowing. Just curious, why so long between surgery and radiation/chemo?

Lynn


Stage 3, N0, M0 oral tongue cancer survivor, 85-90% of tongue removed, neck disection, left tonsil removed, chemo/radiation treatments, surgery 11/03, raditation ended 1/04, lung mets discovered 4/04,
#37316 05-03-2004 12:20 PM
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After my surgery, everything (all margins) came back negative. I felt fine for almost 3 months, then noticed a small lump on my jaw, which was biopsied & came back positive. That's when the ENT recommended radiation & chemo to treat the recurrence. After my first day, I feel OK so far. I am wearing a chemo pump to infuse my 5FU over the next 4 days and getting Cisplatin daily. Guess in hind site, I should have done radiation right after surgery....


Partial gossectomy & lymph node removal 12-03, Oropharynx, Stage IV
#37317 05-03-2004 01:39 PM
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We always joked that we knew what the FU stood for but only because of the nasty reactions I had. I hope your experience is much better than mind. Best wishes for a tolerable treatment and fast recovery!

Ed


SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
#37318 05-04-2004 10:26 AM
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My mom lost her voice after the third week of radiation and then it came back about two weeks after she finished radiation. Her speech actually sounds better now than it did before she got the radiation.

You can't let the what you should have dones get you down. My moms experience was very similar. Her ENT's theory is save radiation for a recurrance I guess because going through radiation is very tough. Now eight weeks after radiation she is feeling more and more like her old self everyday.

Danielle


Originally joined OCF on 12/12/03 as DaniO or Danijams
Dani-Mom SCC BOT & floor of mouth surgery-recur then surgery/rads & chemo completed 3/04
surgery 11/06 to remove dead bone & replace jaw w/ leg bone & titanium plate
#37319 05-04-2004 02:20 PM
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For what it's worth, my doctor told me that in the last five years he has changed his view from neck dissection, radiation/chemo always to radiation/chemo first, neck dissection as a last resort for recurrence. He mentioned to me that he would give me everything he could the first round and go for the cure. He then told me if it comes back there is nothing to do but a neck dissection and would most likely only remove the discomfort.

Ed


SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
#37320 05-04-2004 04:19 PM
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My oncologist also holds similar belief as Ed's doctor. I had full dose of radiation/chemo to ensure a complete cure. If there is a recurrence, surgery is the only resort. When I further asked him if surgery can really do the job if cancer recurs in my case, he just stopped me by saying don't worry about things that may not happen. The team of doctors will deal with it and take care of me. So I learn not to think much about my illness these days.

Karen.


Karen stage 4B (T3N3M0)tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/2001.Concurrent chemo-radiation treatment ( XRT x 48 /Cisplatin x 4) ended in 12/01. Have been in remission ever since.
#37321 05-05-2004 12:41 AM
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I hope your treatment is going well. I hope that the 5FU doesn't get you down. I had a reoccurance 5 months after my initial cancer was discovered. The first cancer was so small they passed on radiation too. I just keep looking forward instead of backward.

God Bless!
Lynn


Stage 3, N0, M0 oral tongue cancer survivor, 85-90% of tongue removed, neck disection, left tonsil removed, chemo/radiation treatments, surgery 11/03, raditation ended 1/04, lung mets discovered 4/04,
#37322 05-06-2004 03:46 PM
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Hello Texas Teacher,

I had surgery followed by IMRT radiation. I had no side effects from the radiation. I was lucky in that regard. I had no Chemo. What type of radiation are you having?

My speech was messed up from my surgery. I can speak but It's diffucult to get out certin letters. D's, and B's are the worst for me. Wouldn't you know my name is Dan Bogan. In sales I do better in person than on the phone.

I wish you the best of luck as you continue your treatment. Remember one thing "It will get better"

Dan


Daniel Bogan DX 7/16/03 Right tonsil,SCC T4NOMO. right side neck disection, IMRT Radiation x 33.

Recurrance in June 05 in right tonsil area. Now receiving palliative chemo (Erbitux) starting 3/9/06

Our good friend and loved member of the forum has passed away RIP Dannyboy 7-16-2006
#37323 05-07-2004 09:34 AM
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Dan,

I have trouble with several letters including Ls and Rs, My name is Lynn Furlich. My daughters are Sally and Rachel. God has the most wicked sense of humor. It's taken me awhile to laugh.

Lynn


Stage 3, N0, M0 oral tongue cancer survivor, 85-90% of tongue removed, neck disection, left tonsil removed, chemo/radiation treatments, surgery 11/03, raditation ended 1/04, lung mets discovered 4/04,
#37324 05-07-2004 01:22 PM
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Hey Lynn, Reading your last post made me smile, I sometimes have trouble with Rs and Ss, don't you know my husband's name is Steve and my son is Steve Jr, daughter is Rachel......gotta laugh about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!Take Care, Carol


Diagnosed May 2002 with Stage IV tongue cancer, two lymph nodes positive. Surgery to remove 1/2 tongue, neck dissection, 35 radiation treatments. 11/2007, diagnosed with cancer of soft palate, surgery 12/14/07, jaw split. 3/24/10, cancer on tongue behind flap, need petscan, surgery scheduled 4/16/10
---update passed away 8-27-11---
#37325 05-07-2004 01:30 PM
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Hi Lynn,

The only real trouble I have had with speech is due to dry mouth. Keep that water bottle close to you at all times. My wife says I seem to have a much more pronounced Chicago or midwestern accent. Doos,dees,doos. Thankfully I am from Chicago so I can get away with it.

Good luck, it gets easier I promise.

Robert


SCC 1.6cm Right Tonsil 10/3/03, 1 Node 3cm, T1N2AM0, Tonsil Removed, Selective Neck Disection, 4 Wks Induction Chemo (Taxol,Cisplatin), 8 Weeks Chemo/Radiation (5FU,Hydroxyurea,Iressa), IMRT x 40, Treatment Complete 2/13/04.
41 Years Old At Diagnosis
#37326 05-07-2004 02:51 PM
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You guys are too funny...what we all have in common sometimes is too much. Dan has trouble with t's and d's and our names are Dan and Debbie, kids are Tony and Todd!
Texas Teacher - good luck...I think everyone's trouble with speech is minor. Dan is in sales and drama director at our church, in local plays, etc...so he really needs his voice and it's come back pretty good. Someone said for a while it sounds like a "Marge Simpson"...that is so true!!
God Bless,
Debbie


Debbie - Caregiver for husband, Dan, diagnosed with tongue cancer 7/03. Partial gloss., mod. neck dissections, graft. Recurrence neck tumor 12/03. Radical left neck dissection 12/24/03-unable to get all the tumor. 8 weeks chemo/rad beginning 1/12/04.
#37327 05-07-2004 04:04 PM
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Oh my gawd - I do sound like Marge Simpson!!!!

#37328 05-14-2004 01:02 PM
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Cathy- I am imagining you doing a Marge HMMMM...

I have trouble with s, and spelling b and d outloud can confuse whomever is listening to me. I have mentioned before that I frequently have to refer folks to the phone number 676-7777 YIKES.

My partial glossectomy consisted of loss of 25% of the front of my tongue on the right, other "righties" out there with similar difficulty? laugh

Sincerely,
Lisa


Lisa
SCC of Tongue Stage 1 (T1,N0,M0)
partial glossectomy,modified neck dissection 4/14/03
#37329 05-25-2004 08:04 AM
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I had a nack dissection and radiation. Radiation ended 15 months ago. I have trouble with a few letters and like the other posts my name is difficult for me to pronounce. I was able to speak better before radiation, surgery did not cause me graet problems. However, I have switched ENT's to Memorial Sloan Kettering and they favor Rad/Chemo over Surgery/RAD. Thick saliva is my mahjor problem. I always feel as though my tongur is overrun with saliva. My radiologist says it will probably remain this way. He recommends a cough surpressent for possible relief.

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