Everyone - Sorry for my late response. I appreciated everyone's helpfullness & well wishes prior to my surgery on 6/22/04.
I had a partial glossectomy performed on the right side of my tongue on 6/22. The tumor size at the greatest diameter was 1.2 cm and the depth of the tumor was 0.8 cm. After the surgery, I was informed that the margins were free of the tumor, however, when the pathology report came back a week later, my doctor revealed that the following two issues exist: deep margin is very close at one point to the tumor (less than 1mm). The other issue is the greatest depth of the tumor is 0.8cm.

My doctor's recommendation was to perform another partial glossectomy whereby he would take an additional (1 cm) off the right latteral side of the tongue. In addition, he would also perform a partial neck discestion and remove vulnerable lymph nodes.

At this point, I decided to make appointments to cancer centers in N.Y and Philadelphia, which I should have done in the beginning.

My appointment at the N.Y Cancer center was this past Monday. I was very impressed with the doctor and nurse. The doctor recommended not to due further surgery on the tongue or neck but get 6 weeks of radiation on the tongue and neck. He felt that additional surgery may not address possible cancer cells that could be anywhere in the tongue.

I also went to a cancer center in philadelphia on 6/23 and was also very impressed. The doctor in Phila recommended not to get Radiation but to get the tongue surgery and neck disection.
The doctor emphasized that 6 weeks of radiation is not enough to kill the cancer cells in the tongue and neck.

My pathology slides are still being reviewed at both Cancer Centers, therefore the recommendations have not been finalized.

I am curious if anyone has been in this similar situation. Your help is much appreciated!

Thanks again.
Bob