Hi Karen - Welcome to the family. I can't help you with the CLL, but I did have tonsil SCC (squamous cell carcinoma). In my case there was no lymph node involvement so all I got for treatment was 35 doses of radiation, that was about 7 months ago. You can read up about radiation treatment on our website pages or hear it firsthand from people who have been there in our Currently in Treatment forum.

If you can, ask the lab to do the pathology testing for HPV16 virus. There's a little psychology to get past if positive, but the bottom line is HPV related oral cancers respond better to treatment and hence those who have it usually have better treatment outcomes.

Of course, we all hope it's not cancer, but if it is, you have a whole army of people behind you supporting you and your husband through this journey.

take care, let us know how it turns out regardless of outcome.

Tony

Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good