| Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 35 "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 35 | Can oral cancer show up differently a second time around? My cancer was a superficial surface SCC (less than 1mm thick) as a result of chronic lichen planus, required no chemo or radiation, I recieved a Co2 laser treatment. (I subsequently developed adhesions requiring a 2nd surgery and have lingual nerve damage to the left side and tip of my tongue)
Almost 2 years out I now have a tender spot on the 'healthy' side of my tongue near the bottom base, no discolouration but is now visible, but wasnt a month or so ago when I asked to see my ENT again. I got to my appt late and they had closed up for the day 2 weeks ago; but I bitched about them closing and have another appt this Friday.
The pain is worse if I stretch and stick out my tongue or after eating. Seems somewhat postional. It is smaller than a grain of rice in size, I can feel it with my finger tips. A lump.
So can a thin veil of SCC morph into a SCC lump the 2nd time around? It is very different in appearance from the first. And is it common for cancer to move from one side to the other of the tongue? Or can I be hopeful that its a blocked salivary gland or something of that nature?
Life is good right now. Finally worth living. I am in love for the very first time in my life and have a fabulous job that I just got a month ago.
Tracy Dx @ age 47 Single No dependants NS/Social ETOH Clinical Study (early detection) Dx July/09 Mod. Dysplasia (lichen planus) Dx Sept/11 TisN0M0 SSC Lt Tongue Sx Oct/11 CO2 Laser Glossectomy Sx Mar/12 Release of tongue anchoring (Skin graft) Lingual Nerve Damage
| | | | 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 | Unfortunately the second time around OC can present itself differently. Please try your best not to worry until you know for sure what you are dealing with. I know that is really hard to do but sometimes a lump is just a lump.
When in doubt, get checked out.
Good luck!!!! 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: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | It could be something or nothing, and would be hard to say what are the possibilities. You're doing the right thing by going to see the ENT.
Good luck!
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: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Okay - not to scare you but YES! I would ask to see the ENT ASAP - it can move and travel to different locations. Within the mouth, though tongue generally travels around the tongue - possibly to base of tongue and ocassionally but rarely to tonsils...Maybe it's a lot like real estate... location location location. If that makes sense. From reading other people here I've noted that cheek can move to gum and back and forth. A lump - could be anything, but mine presented as a lump under the surface. I thought it was scar tissue as I'd had thickened skin removed from the same area 10 years before, but NO it was a tumor, and it grew under the surface, and I had NO visual lesions - just pain. Also if it was well differentiated the first time, there is no guarantee of it being the same the second time around. In fact as it moves it sometimes becomes more aggressive. Call and ask to be put in if there are cancellations. hugs and hang in there. At worst if it is a recurrence, then you have caught it early at best it's nothing and you've put your mind at ease.
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
| | | | Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 35 "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP "OCF Canuck" Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 35 | Good News, went to my ENT and he took a biopsy but didnt think it was necessary. Believes it to be an ulcerated spot caused by sharp teeth. Even with all the filing down of my teeth I have had done, its apparently not enough. I should get the results of the biopsy in another week. Guess its been awhile but I seem to remember my biopsies healing faster than this one. No sutures, just some silver nitrate to control the bleeding and a course of antibiotics (I have a congenital heart defect) still not healed but it hasnt been quite 2 weeks yet. Pain is much better.
Last edited by tracyinkits; 10-01-2013 08:53 PM. Reason: spelling error
Tracy Dx @ age 47 Single No dependants NS/Social ETOH Clinical Study (early detection) Dx July/09 Mod. Dysplasia (lichen planus) Dx Sept/11 TisN0M0 SSC Lt Tongue Sx Oct/11 CO2 Laser Glossectomy Sx Mar/12 Release of tongue anchoring (Skin graft) Lingual Nerve Damage
| | | | Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 20 Member | Member Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 20 | Very good to hear! Do let us know when the results come back but your doctor is surely a great judge
CG to husband- 1/2013 lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma found 5/2013 1st round chemo stopped due to hole in hard palate. 6/2013 SCC found in maxillary sinus/hard palate. 7/2013 Removed tumor from palate + neck dissection T3NO. Has palatal obturator. Both smokers. Both want to quit. Will be done with 35 rounds of radiation + chemo + erbitux by October 10. Hemoglobin count up from 3 to 13! Lymphoma under control
| | | | Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 262 Gold Member (200+ posts) | Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Jun 2013 Posts: 262 | So glad to hear this news, Tracy!
53 T3N2aM0 HPV+ 5/26/13 discovered painless superball-sized lymph node in neck 6/26/13 DX SCC R palatine tonsil 7/16/13 TORS tonsillectomy & selective ND, mets to 2 nodes 9/3/13 Cisplatin and rads begin, tolerated 1.5 of 3 planned chemo doses 10/16/13 Treatment ends Dec 13 Ulcer appears at surgery site Jan 17 Biopsy -- no cancer! Feb 17 CT/PET Scan lights up tonsil bed & nasal cavity, docs say probably inflammation, don't panic, rescan when ulcer subsides
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 |
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 |
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: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | So glad you're dr was unconcerned. I had my teeth filed twice, then I got a prescription for oracort and applied it after I'd eaten and brushed, and before bed. I was gone in two weeks. Thankfully I didn't get to the point of needing a biopsy - it was just a reallllly deep hole left over from rads. hugs.
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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