My husband had cancer under the left side of his tongue last year. He had surgery in February at Mayo Clinic and also completed his radiation there in April. His cancer was stage two and none of the 33 lymph nodes that were removed showed evidence of cancer. He did, however, have perineural invasion. He has had some ongoing issues since he finished his last round of radiation. He continues to have the expected issues with spicy foods, etc. but he keeps saying it feels like a piece of popcorn kernel in the area where the cancer was removed. He's also in tears when he brushes his teeth because of the pain in the area where the cancer was located, (this has been an ongoing issue since the surgery).

We went to his regular three month follow-up last week and the doctor didn't see anything but said the area felt firm. She ordered a CT scan on Saturday just to make sure everything was okay. The doctor called us on Monday morning and said there appears to be something asymmetrical and without borders in the area where the original cancer was located. She said it could be scar tissue but it wasn't there on his last CT/PET scan. She set up an appointment with his ENT/surgeon just to be safe but I am terrified. Has anyone had scar tissue show up on a CT scan and followed up to ensure it wasn't cancer? Do you still have pain a year out from treatment or feel like something is in the area where your cancer was removed?

Thanks for any help offered, I am trying not to Google everything and make things worse.