Okay, so after reading some of the other threads it appears I did a "Readers Digest" version above. Sorry about that, but I guess the anxiety took over.

I am 59 years old and have smoked for about 45 of those years. I own an insurance agency and I am the one and only employee, which just may present a problem as treatment progresses. I am married and have a real trooper for a wife.

Back in 2002 I was referred to an ENT doc because I was having pain in my throat, neck and left shoulder as well as a long running headache. He informed me that the throat and neck pain was related to a problem with my hyoid bone. In time the symptoms went away, but returned a few more times since, also to disappear.

In June of this year I gave in to a 2 plus month long headache, neck, shoulder and ear pain and got another appointment with him. In the mean time I had a semi-annual followup vist with my cardiologist, having had a TIA in September of 2003. I mentioned the neck problem to him, wondering if perhaps it might be associated with the 70% blockage in my left carotid. He told me there could be no association but ordered an MRI of my head and neck, just to rule out a tumor.

Surprise, surprise when on June 20th I was informed that there indeed was a tumor in my tongue. The biopsy on the 30th confirmed it was malignant. The following week the ENT doc recommended radiation and chemo, saying that surgery was much too risky given the site.

Initially I accepted that and made appointments with radiation and medical oncologists. I just became unsettled with the abrupt push off of surgery and decided a second opinion was needed. I went to the Moffett Cancer Center in Tampa a couple weeks ago and they too agreed that surgery should not be done, but only saved as an option should it return, not because it was too risky.

So here I am today, with extractions scheduled for Friday, followed by the radiation and chemo to begin hopefully on the 22nd. Radiation may be done twice daily, but no decision has been made as yet. Chemo will be with cisplatin and will be either three times a week with small doses or once a week with a mega dose. That too has yet to be decided.

Other than that, I don't know much and will be looking for advice and information in the other threads, re: treatments, side effects etc...