Yes, Amanda I agree. I was originally put off 3 times until I went to the right person. Saw my surgeon on August 13, and from then to Oct 11 (my surgery) it had grown from 3 cm to 5.5 cm. Had they caught it March (5 months earlier when I first complained), I might have been able to have it excised rather than losing more than half of my tongue.

Tina
Diag: Aug. 13/12
T3N0M0
50% + glossectomy and bilateral radical neck dissection, removal of nodes zones I - V
Surgery October 11/12
Chemo/rad on hold due to clear margins and nodes
Sept 21/13 clear CT with anomaly thought to be the artery, being watched closely.
Dec 16/13 - anomaly confirmed artery, all clear
nickname: "get 'r done"
Plans: kick cancer's butt