Michelle,

My tumor was on the left side of my tongue. Given the location and the results of my preliminary tests, my cancer team felt the best approach for me was surgery first. They held off on the radiation decision until after the surgery was finished. Although the surgeons ended up getting clean margins (and there was no indication of lymph node involvement), the pathology reports seemed to indicate that it could be fairly aggressive, so my doctors pushed strongly at that point for radiation. (At that time, chemo wasn't typically a part of the treatment -- it has become more common in recent years.)

Radiation was tough for me, as it is for many people, but thankfully most of the effects were temporary. (Also, these days there is more that can be done as a preventive measure to try to preserve salivary function.) For about the last half of my treatments, and for several weeks afterward, I had problems with mouth sores, painful swallowing, occasional infections. and overall fatigue (and I was 39 and otherwise in good health at the time). Some people are able to keep eating in some fashion -- generally soft or semi-liquid foods -- while others need to have a tube inserted to get the daily nutrition they need. Your mother should be sure that she has a plan in place with her medical team to maintain her daily intake requirements.

Cathy