| | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 | Hi y'all! I'm Shelby, 19 years old and was diagnosed with stage 2 or 3 tongue cancer. I'm a nursing student at UK (well was I guess, taking the semester off for treatment). They don't know the stage yet because I'm doing my PET scan tomorrow. on the 27th I have a partial glossectomy and neck dissection. I'm really nervous I won't be able to eat normally ever again. They're taking little over half my tongue and replacing it with tissue from my arm and then skin grafting my arm. How long were y'all in the hospital for after surgery and how bad was it?
Shelby, 28 yrs old, stage 3 tongue cancer, non- smoker, not HPV, 12/27/12 partial glossectomy and neck dissection, 1 lymph node positive, Chemo and Rad 5 days a week, 32 treatments, feeding tube in, finish treatment 3/22/13  back to normal basically
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 112 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 112 | Hi Shelby! So nice to see your positive attitude. I also had tongue cancer (its been one year) and my life is pretty normal right now.
I didnt had the tongue replacement, just the removal of about 2x3 cm with primmary closure.
The thing that bothered me a lot was the NG tube 1 week after surgery. The neck dissection for me was a piece of cake.
Hope everything runs ok and keep us informed!
December, 2011 - T1N0M0 SSC Oral Tongue sugery (Dec 07, 2011). Partial glossectomy, primary closure. Selective Neck dissection, all 57 nodes free. 29 at diagnosis, no risk factors at all. No smoking, drinking and HPV negative. Can you explain? I can't.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 381 "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 381 | Shelby,
I had almost the identical procedure. I was in hospital for 9 days, returned to work 3 weeks after surgery.
There was surprisingly little pain considering they cut open my neck, arm and did a skin graft from my thigh.
My speech is almost back to normal and I was eating solid food within a month of the surgery date.
The NG tube sucks, but is necessary, as is the tracheostomy tube. It's a good day when you get that out! The trach was in for 7 days, and by day 7, I had all 4 drains out, and only had the doppler wires left (they are connected to the "new" tongue to listen to the blood flow).
I was worn out, but all in all, not too bad.
Keep us posted and good luck with the surgery!
Tina
Diag: Aug. 13/12
T3N0M0
50% + glossectomy and bilateral radical neck dissection, removal of nodes zones I - V
Surgery October 11/12
Chemo/rad on hold due to clear margins and nodes
Sept 21/13 clear CT with anomaly thought to be the artery, being watched closely.
Dec 16/13 - anomaly confirmed artery, all clear
nickname: "get 'r done"
Plans: kick cancer's butt
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 4 | I have no experience with a glossectomy, but good luck with everything, Shelby.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Shelby, welcome to OCF! So sorry to see you are going thru so much at such a young age! Being young will help you with being able to recover much quicker. Your functioning will be different but you can overcome the new hurdles. The quicker you are healed you can begin working with a speech pathologist to help you regain your speech and eating.
Best wishes with everything!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 214 Likes: 1 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 214 Likes: 1 | Shelby,
Where are you located and where are you being treated?
Hockey Dad
43, No smoke, Small BOT HPV+16
8/30/12 Biopsy found SCC in Lymph node (removed)
9/19 DX 4a T1N2aM0
10/1 TX 2x Cisplatin 35 IMRT 70 gry (Done 11/15)
PEG tube in 11/7. Out 1/4, Back at work 2/4/13
PET 2/13 Clear, 10/16 all Scopes Clear, 4/14 Chest X-ray Clear, 5/14 Abdominal ultrasound Clear, 8 yrs clean!!!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Shelby, sorry to hear you're having to go through this at such a young age. But you sound strong in spirit and your youth will be a big plus in the recovery process. Plenty of folks here have been through what you're about to face and come through it very well.
Please don't hesitate to ask questions, PM people and just rant if you want to. You're part of our family now.
My thoughts are with you.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 |
Shelby, 28 yrs old, stage 3 tongue cancer, non- smoker, not HPV, 12/27/12 partial glossectomy and neck dissection, 1 lymph node positive, Chemo and Rad 5 days a week, 32 treatments, feeding tube in, finish treatment 3/22/13 back to normal basically
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 16 Likes: 1 | That sounds like you are doing great! I was expecting a longer time line but that is very helpful! Are the drains holes in the incision on your neck? or your tongue? and are the scars bad? sorry for all the questions! Thank you
Shelby, 28 yrs old, stage 3 tongue cancer, non- smoker, not HPV, 12/27/12 partial glossectomy and neck dissection, 1 lymph node positive, Chemo and Rad 5 days a week, 32 treatments, feeding tube in, finish treatment 3/22/13 back to normal basically
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 8 Member | | Member
Joined: Dec 2012 Posts: 8 | Hey Shelby
Love your attitude, you are so young and this is going to help you. Keep us posted on your progress. I am heading to week 3 of chemo/radiation and keeping the same positive attitude. Just like you, never smoked, never chewed dip and played sports my whole life. Don't ever ask "Why me?". Let's just kick this Cancer's butt! 5-10 years from now we'll look back and be proud of ourselves for fighting it. Hang in there. Good Luck with everything and above all enjoy the heck out of Christmas!
Ron
_________________________________________
T2 - Oral Cancer
Stage IV
Neck Resection -October 26, 2012
3/20 Lymph Nodes (+)
Cisplatin/6600 Radiation - Began December 3, 2012 - 7 weeks
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