Hi. My name is Jennifer, and I was just diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma on the right side of my tongue. I've been battling leukoplakia patches on that side since 1991, and have had 4 surgeries over the past 14 years to remove it, but it had always been "abnormal" and not cancerous. I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet.

I'm hoping it is still early, but I have more testing on Monday. CAT scan, blood work, X-rays, etc... My ENT seems to be very aggressive (biopsied it the day he saw me), which makes me feel a little better.

The one good thing is, the biopsies of patches further down the back of my tongue were just "seriously abnormal", so I'm hoping it's not into my lymph nodes or jaw bone or anything yet.

Anyway, the web site is exactly what I needed. People who have been through this type of thing and have great advice!

Thanks,
Jennifer, 42, mother of 2

Jennifer
Stage II (T2N0M0) SCC diag 4/21/05; partial glossectomy & selective neck dissection (good margins and lymyph nodes negative), jaw split, 1/3 of tongue removed, free flap from left forearm - 5/23/05; 42 years old at diagnosis