Hi everyone,

My name is Michael 43 years old smoker for 20 years about 1/2 pack a day. quit drinking since 15 year ago. and no one in my family have any type of Cancer. But on July 15 2012 I was diangostic as Tongue Cancer 2nd stage. I spent alot of time try to findout what is my best treatment offer. went to USC ENT. City of Hope, Loma Linda Proton center, and Ent specialist suggested by my family Dr.

All the Dr. told me to have surgery and remove it. I try not to do it since I will lost 3/4 of my front tongue. but every Dr. told me the same, and seems like if Radiation along will not work, and will be more damage to myself then surgery.

So I had the surgery done by Dr. Kokot in USC. because he was the one with earlist date for surgery. and I kind of like the name USC...

anyway, the surgery went will, I was in ICU for 4 days, then sent home on the 7th day. at the begining my tongue was swallened very bad, can not help drewing all the time, but I was able to speek on the 1st day. not clear, but my family manage to understand me will. (I love my family)

to make the free flap the Dr. remove skin from my left wrist about 5X5 inch and the artery vain about 1 foot. and make up what they remove from my tongue ( because if I do not do that i will have problem talking and eating.) the new flap look very funny and swollen. but as the day goes by it is much smaller now.

Dr. also remove some of my left lymph node, and he did not find any bad lymph node so he stoped. my neck is still very swollen after the surgery. ( it is been 2 weeks now) and kind of deform, but it is ok.

after one week I went back to see my Dr. to see the reports, and he told me that surgery looks good, and he got everything out, with + clear margin. here is the problem:

due to the size of the tumor, he suggest radiation anyway. the Tumor is 2.5x2.5x3.5 cm. he said because it is deep, and recurring is greater so he feel safe if I take radiation treatment.

ok, I kind of not wanting the radiation treatment. and can someone give me some suggestions? and what do I need to do to monitor if my cancer return?

Thank you very much.