| | Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 381 "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts) |  "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2012 Posts: 381 | Blue Jay, I had slightly more than half of my tongue replaced with a graft of skin, fat and blood vessels from my forearm, and then they grafted that with skin from my thigh to close off the would. I have had no issues with the grafts, and other than getting used to a different feel in the mouth (there are no nerves in the flap), all is good. The scarring is healing nicely as well
Living in Canada, I tell people I was attacked by a bear...you'd be surprised how many people believe that...
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: Feb 2011 Posts: 117 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2011 Posts: 117 | BlueJay,
I had the exact same surgery as both Cheryld and Tina....75% of my tongue was replaced with a hunk of tissue,artery, etc from my forearm. That was 2 years ago and I am doing great.
The surgery was a breeze when compared to radiation treatments. You should recovery very nicely from the flap using your own tissue.
As others have said, don't wait too long...most SCCs are quite aggressive.
Best of luck to you.
DX 12/6/10 of T3 SCC Tongue.
Surgery 1/3/11 was hemigloss & forearm free flap, midline mandibulectomy, Neck Disection-All nodes clear.
Ended rads 5/11/11. Taste buds back to about 80%. PEG removed 4/5/12, experimenting eating real food again. If I can do this, so can you !! Stay Strong.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 8 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Feb 2013 Posts: 8 | Thanks everyone, the support means so much.
I do feel much better about it, fortunately polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma is not considered to be aggressive but the close proximity to the nerve is unsettling, and since it is so rare, the ENT said it could be unpredictable. Glad to hear the skin graft isn't so bad, and on more extensive surgeries at that!
One more week.
Age 30, mom to 2 little boys
Small tumor in right cheek removed 1/23/13
DX PLGA 2/15/13
Appointment with ENT 2/26
PET scan clear
Surgery for wide excision w/ skin graft scheduled for 3/28
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | Good luck! And fingers cross everything goes great.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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