hi

sorry about thjis having trouble posting.

My dad has just been diagnosed

the facts seem to be as follows.

1 78 years old
2 tumour is malignant
3. he says it is in the tongue (side) and poss floor of the mouth
4. diagnosed after toothache in lower right teeth
5. Says he can now feel a lump in the soft part under his jaw
6.has been told he needs 8 weeks radiotherapy and Cheamo at the same time once a week.
7. No surgury

He has had his peg fitted but was admitted to hosp yeaterday as it has become infected so this has now put back his treatment until the infection clears up.

my questions are this

1. What are the likely outcomes?
2. What can I expect from the treatments?
3. How are we going to cope?

Geoff ;0(

Hi,

My dad, 78yrs, was diagnosed with oral cancer about 5 weeks ago. I can't give many details as he isn't being very open about it. He said that he started to suffer from a toothache type pain and went to the dentist. The dentist wasn't happy and sent him to our local private hospital for a c heck. He saw the consultant there who was sufficiently concerned to insist he had an appt at the local hospital for a biopsy. He was so concerned he told him to go home and wait by the phone for an appt the next day. He had his biopsy and, according to what he has told us, he has a malignant tumour. He said he couldn�t really feel it gut he thinks that it is the right side of his tongue and there appears to be a lump on the floor of his mouth.

Anyway he ahs seen his hospital team and they are doing the following.

1. eight weeks radiotherapy
2. Chemotherapy one a week for 8 weeks during the radio.
3. They have fitted a peg tube
4. He has been a lifelong smoker and was told if he didn�t give up he would be dead in 9 months. I have managed to get him on the e cigs and he seems to be sticking with those.

Anyway he had is peg fitted and was due to start his therapy on 30th July.

Yesterday he was taken in to hosp because his tube had become infected. I called the hosp and he was admitted. I spoke to the nurse and she said that his infection was serious and they would keep him in until it was cleared and his treatment couldn't start until it was clear. I spoke to dad and he seemed upbeat and said he would be out the next day. I didn�t tell him what the nurse had said. Needless to say he is still in and will be till at least Monday.

I�m not sure I know how to deal with this. My siblings are useless as my brother is selfish recovering alcoholic and my sister lives 200 miles away and doesn't seem concerned.

I have young family and work long hours. My wife is a god send and is arranging things for him and trying to look after him as best she can but he is very reluctant to tell details.

I�m concerned as well because his tongue seems to be growing quickly and his speech is getting slurred and, despite telling us he is eating well, the nurse confirmed that he only eats soft food like rice pudding as anything else is painful.

My wife has offered to cook all his meals and deliver them but he refuses as 'he doesn�t need help'.

Feel a bit alone in all this as we are trying to help but we need to know whats happening.

Any advice

Geoff

Also..

His tongue seems to be growing daily...

and he can't eat food unless it is very soft.

geoff

Welcome to OCF!

I have sent you a link to help you quickly learn the ins and outs of the forum. Look for the small blinking envelope next to the My Stuff tab in the top center and click on it.

Here is a list of easy to eat foods. they have a softer texture and are easier to swallow. This should help your father with his eating.

List of Easy to Eat Foods

I suggest you read like crazy and educate yourself about this disease. It can be difficult to get thru the treatments but it can be done.

Best wishes with everything!

thanks for the link.

Mrs P will be gratefull for some more ideas of what to feed him.

G

Do you what they Staged him?

What type and how many chemos?

( welcome btw)

Okay - tongue tumors... It sounds like its oral tongue - inside his mouth - the standard treatment for this is actually surgery - then depending on the pathology and involvement - a follow up of 6-7 weeks of daily chemo radiation with weekends off.

In the event that it is too extensive to operate then they may give him longer chemoradiation. Radiation is hard. At his age it will be harder I suspect... He'll need a lot of support. I would get a second opinion at a cancer center if you haven't.

And the lump under his jaw is likely a node that's been invaded.

Hugs and we're here

Welcome Finlander, I'm so sorry about your's Dad's diagnosis.

Referred pain is common and could explain the toothache. Tumors can grow fast -- my tonsil went from invisible to 3 cm in 10 days -- but that's not necessarily correlated with aggressive spreading.

I hope you get answers and hope here!

Hugs,

Mamacita

Thanks folks for your help and wishes.

dad is still in hospital as his peg infection is being fought by anti-biotics being fed to him on a drip. He should be out weds.

He is looking very very thin but says he can chew again? That sounds good .

his radio therapy has been put back a few weeks because of the infection so we are hoping that it won't get worse during the delay.

I can't help with stage and type etc as he isnt very helpful with that sort of information as I get the feeling he is a bit in denial.

He says he can still feel that his tongue has grown.

removal of the rumour has not even been discused but Im not sure if that is because of his age and recovery problems, or if its to small or to large. They have fitted him a mask in order to target the radio therapy so im hoping that means its small.

Geoff