Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop?

Hi Folks!

I had my first appointment with the ENT at MCV on Thursday. He examined my mouth, looked at my esophagus with a mirror, and felt for nodes along my jaw line. He also looked in my ears and nose (I guess there IS a reason they are called ENTs!). He asked about symptoms like pain, swelling, hoarseness, change in voice, acid reflux and swallowing problems (none). He said I had erythroplakia on the floor of my mouth. The only evidence of the 2mm tumor that was removed a month ago was some scarring from the sutures.

He told me to stop all alcohol usage (moderate drinker) and even asked if my toothpaste had alcohol in it. He said I should get a chest X-ray because sometimes the cancer migrates to the lungs.

He said I had two options:

Come back in six weeks for reevaluation. OR

Undergo an excision surgery on the floor of the mouth. When I asked how much tissue they would remove, he responded by mentioning possible salivary gland and duct compromise, potential tongue loss with perhaps the need for a graft, and a long healing time. When I asked about using frozen sections during the surgery to determine the margins, he said that might be a possibility, but that he would also want permanent sections. I wonder if I should have asked about other biopsy options that would not be as invasive. I think I understand all this, and it was clear he favored the non-surgical option.

I have an appointment in six weeks. I was expecting a cancer staging process with additional tests. I guess what happened was supposed to happen at this point in my disease. I was told to report any changes, and I sure hope nothing does change!

So now, it seems wait and see. Thank you all for your support and suggestions (past and future). I�ll keep you posted.

Peace,
Catherine