Hello all, as of today I've completed 22 out of 31 radiation treatments following surgery for tongue cancer. I had the tumor removed, and now they are shooting my tongue, mouth and lymph nodes using the IMRT technology (which has done a lot to spare my saliva glands by the way -- wonderful)...

I was just curious as to how long it takes before your mouth returns to normal (or as normal as it's going to get) after radiation. Like I said, saliva function is pretty good still(thank you Saligen and IMRT). But I'm only able at this point to each liquid/mushy foods, and my speech is slurred at times because of the "burning sensation" I can get when the sores in my mouth rub up against my teeth.

I've heard a broad range, from a couple weeks to months before function "returns to normal"... Would love to here some of your "real-life" stories... Thanks!! And thanks to all who have posted in this forum -- very encouraging to me during my journey...

Eric

Tongue cancer (SCC), diagnosed Oct. 2003 (T2 N0 M0). Surgery to remove tumor. IMRT Radiation 30x in Dec 2003 - Jan. 2004. Recurrence lymph node - radical neck dissection June 2004. Second round of rad/chemo treatments ended Sept. 2004.