#13883 03-22-2003 08:37 AM | Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 546 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) |  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2002 Posts: 546 | Congratulations Steve. That's great news. Wishing you the speediest of recoveries ever. It is sooooooo good to hear of this cancer being caught early. It makes all the difference in the world. Rainbows & hugs,  Rosie
Was primary caregiver to my daughter Heather who had stage IV base of tongue SCC w/ primary recurrence. Original diagnosis August 21st, 2002. Primary recurrence March 18th, 2003. Died October 6th, 2003.
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#13884 04-25-2003 04:48 PM | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 | Okay, update time.
I had surgery April 8. They cut out a strip of the right side of my tongue, 1cm x 3cm x 8mm deep. Clean margins. They did a neck dissection, removing 3 or so nodes plus a salivary gland, with pathology results negative. Had I not had an MRI before going to City of Hope, they would not have done the neck dissection. The enlarged gland that showed up was probably enlarged from the original biopsy. Most of my recover is a result of the neck dissection because the tongue thing was so easy. My surgery was three hours instead of one. But we know for sure, so I'm not too out of whack over the process.
I have nothing but praise to say about City of Hope. The folks are great and they did an excellent job on me. My surgeon and his assistant were a great team.
My first diagnosis was to remove about 1/3 of my tongue and then 6 weeks of radiation. After some research, I went to City of Hope for a second. They knew almost from the first exam that my cancer was very early stage, and probably would not require radiation.
I'm a lucky duck for sure, and my dentist caught this early. City of Hope is great, and cancer is their business. The Head and Neck guys are busy, have a lot of experience, and followed almost to the letter the info I also got from Anderson. | | |
#13885 04-25-2003 07:10 PM | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 235 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 235 | Steve - I'm glad to hear of the good news, and like Rosie has mentioned - it's wonderful that this cancer was caught and treated in it's early stages. It sounds like you are receiving exellent care and I wish you all the best in your recovery! Take care.
DonnaJean
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#13886 04-26-2003 04:35 AM | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 | If your dentist is the one that caught this in an early stage, he needs to be recognized on our dental life savers page....contact me with his information. We like to see these guys get the credit they deserve. http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/dental/lifesavers.htm
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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#13887 04-26-2003 03:19 PM | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 | Okay, Brian. I'll get the info on my dentist. | | | 
#13888 04-26-2003 06:07 PM | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 36 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 36 | Steve,
how wonderful to hear of someone else having a knowledgeable and vigilant dentist. Like you, I owe my life and early diagnosis to my dentist. I also got away with surgery only.
To great dentist!
Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma, Stage I, diagn. Sept. '02
DENTIST SAVED MY LIFE!
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#13889 05-09-2003 07:59 AM | Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 13 | Brian, I sent in the information on my Dentists.
Thanks everyone for your support. I hope I can provide as much assistance and comfort to others as I've received during this experience. | | |
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