My husband just noticed a lump on the bottom of his tongue on the left side. He just got back from the dentist who did a brush biopsy. If it is cancer, my DH will have caught it early (1 cm).

It is my understanding that treatment is usually minor surgery and if it comes back, radiation. I had radiation for Breast Cancer and hated it. I understand that radiation in the head and mouth area is even more nasty.

How many Stage 1 on this board had radiation and what are the results?

I was stage 1 and did just radiation, no chemo, no surgery. Keep in mind that surgery to the soft palet does not provide for a very pleasant quality of life.

I am 4 months out and in fairly good shape after a not so terrible bout with treatment. I am back to a normal life with some minor changes and am almost back to a normal diet.

It�s no walk in the park by any measure but the alternatives were unacceptable.

I would do the radiation. It is usually reccomended even with stage one tongue cancer. It isn't fun but most of the side effects are temporary and go away. From what I've seen here tongue cancer is difficult to control and cure if and when it comes back. Better to eradicate it from the system the first time.

Don't mean to frighten you. Hoping for a speedy full recovery.

I think the best thing you can do is wait to see if it is cancer and this will need more than just a dentists say so.I would look for a referal to a doctor and get a full set of tests done.

Bear in mind that many brush biopsies come back stating further follow-up is needed and that would require an excisional biopsy.

I was Stage 1, twice. If the wound is 1cm visable, that doesnt mean thats all it is. The tongue is really very large. Radiation of the head and neck area is not anything even close to what radiation for breast cancer is. With other cancers, a radiation patient can very easily continue on with their life when treatment is over. This is not so for many oral cancer patients. Some can struggle for years and may not return to their original self.

I do not want to make you worry, so I apologize if I sound scary. Your husband needs to prepare by eating everything he can now and not worry about gaining weight. Eat all his favorite due to treatments can change his sense of taste. Everyone handles treatments differently, some sail right thru while others continually stuggle. Unfortunately, Im a struggler. Doesnt make a difference what stage they were when it comes to this.

Hoping that your husband is a lucky one and has an easy time of this. Keeping a positive attitude helps, dont know if thats been proven medically but I do believe in positive thinking.

He will get the results of the brush biopsy in 4-5 days. I am hoping for the best and very glad that our dentist is one of the few who do oral exams as part of his regular practice. The dentist stayed late in his office to do the biopsy. He is a good guy.

My brother and my husband both did tours in Viet Nam. So Agent Orange is an issue. If my DH's result comes back positive, I will be caring for two men with oral cancer at the same time. Life could get very interesting.

Cookie,wilckdds,

If the test comes back positive or suspicious, my husband will go in with me to my next visit to the my oncologist. He will arrange to get all the further testing and exams done. It will all be done at the Va Hospital in Little Rock where my brothers surgery is being done. Some VA hospitals are very poor, but the one in Little Rock, Arkansas is one of the very best.

ChristineB,
Feel free to scare the living hell out of me. Not knowing is worse than knowing too much about things that may not happen.

The worst I had with my radiation is radiation blisters across the top of my chest and blisters under my breast. My ribs on that side are still sore over 2 years later and I have lost some lung capacity. I will have to watch out for spontaneous breaking of my ribs on that side. I am fortunate that the cancer was on my right side so my heart hasn't been damaged. At least I think it hasn't been.

All in all you are correct, Christine, that as long as the damn machine is properly calibrated, the experience of a breast cancer patient with radiation is a walk in the park compared to what I have read on this site. That is why I am asking whether radiation can be avoided without substantial risk of recurrence.

Please don't even think about what can be avoided.Just concentrate on what can be done.The recurrence stats for oral cancer are not good so you don't want to take any chances.

Notself,


Whooooa, one step at a time. First whatever it is must be confirmed as cancer before you have any decisions to make.