I just went for a checkup appt with my ENT and was told that I have leukoplakia on my tongue but "no signs of cancer or anything to worry about". He didn't say this was common in post-radiation patients but he didn't seem too concerned and he did suggest it was because of the radiation making my tongue very dry there and easily irritated. I have another appt. at the end of April and before then I will have an MRI and a PET to check for signs of cancer (I have pretty bad trismus right now and he couldn't get his fingers in my motuh well enough to feel the floor of the mouth, which would normally be a part of his exam, so these tests are extra important I guess).

He had actually mentioned at the last checkup that I had some white stuff on my tongue that was from irritation, not to be worried about but didn't say the word "leukoplakia". When he called it that this time, it worried me a bit. Does another checkup in 3.5 months seem like a close enough followup? Would I be able to have this removed by laser surgery even with restricted range of motion in my jaw? I am working hard with my therabite to improve the trismus a little but it's happening slowly.

It has been two years since my diagnosis by the way. But I think I'll wait to celebrate that two year mark until the appt. in April after all the other tests shows an all-clear. I guess r5ight now I'm superstitious that something bad will be found before then.

Nelie