Hi my name is Laura and Im new here as well. I am 38 years old and have 4 children. I have 3 boys ages 21,18,15 and a daughter who is 7 and has cystic fibrosis. I was recently diagnosed with small salivary gland cancer. I had surgery on Halloween to remove the tumor. They said the tumor was a little over 2cm and had clear margins all around. I had a few different biopsies prior to my surgery since I had seen an out of network oral surgeon to begin with. They had called it a T1 or T2 adenocarcinoma of the salivary gland. However, after surgery within my network provider they called it a T1- T2 mucoidepidermal carcinoma. With no lymph or metastisis. But they did find some perineural invasion within the tumor , so I was advised to see radiologist, etc for the tumor board.

The oral surgeon told me he would have to remove all of my molars because of the radiation treatments. I sat there crying because I took such good care of my teeth. Im also a non-smoker, and non_drinker. I looked next to me and seen a boy my son's age that lost his leg in the war and kicked myself in the butt for feeling bad over some teeth. I then seen the radiologist who felt in his opinion that I was probably already cured but would treat if the surgeon was nervous. I was also supposed to see an oncologist but that appointment ended up being cancelled while my daughter was in the hospital for her *tune_up* iv therapy.

After the tumor board met this past Thursday and we had just returned from the hospital with our daughter they called me to tell me they were recommending the radiation. Although the ENT surgeon said he was kinda on the fence with me as to treat or to watch me. He said if it were him that had the cancer he would treat.

This has all been overwhelming since Ive already got a chronic-progressive disease in my life with my daughter. But I need to be around to care for her so Im trying to make the best choices for my health. Ive read a little bit in your forums about the different types of radiation I guess Im a little confused as to how it works, what type I should recieve...as in radiate the entire mouth or just that area since I have clear margins and no lymph or metastisis. Is there anyone else on here with a similar diagnosis?

I hope all is going better for everyone in this club.

Take care,
LauraT