Hello LWP,
My name is kimberly, I am an year older than you;) I have tongue cancer and I must get a cat scan Thursday and then find out the news
I posted on here just a few days ago. I am also am animal lover! I have two dogs, a husband and a teen daughter.
May I ask how long you waited? Why do you day you waited long? I noticed a lump on my tongue around mid feb but took 5 or 6 weeks to get it checked out.
I don't smoke or drink. Try to live a healthy lifestyle, so like you I was very shocked too.
How long is too long? I can't seem to find that out;(
Anyhow, hope this finds you well. I am new too. I posted under,crying all the time/ newly diagnosed.
Take care;)
Kimberly

Hi Kimberly... Sorry to take so long to get back to you. I've been recovering from the surgery and not doing so much. I have a hubby, two teenage girls, a dog, cat and two horses!

The way it worked for me was the Doctor booked the surgery presuming that the CT would be negative, and then about 10 days after the CT scan, she called to tell me that the lymph nodes were larger than they should be. They weren't conclusive, but enough for her to recommend the neck dissection. So, I ended up with a different surgery date, a couple of weeks later.

It feels very much like I am just a little cog in a machine - found out from my GP that the CT scan on my chest was clear (THANK GOD!) but tomorrow I will find out the pathology results from the surgery.

I know what you mean, it is such a huge sucker punch to deal with. So out of the blue and unexpected... and don't feel bad about the 5-6 weeks, I had something on my tongue for a freakin' YEAR! And, like an idiot, just figured it was stress related and ignored it.

Fingers crossed that it's just localized to your tongue and it'll be a small surgery and you'll be done!

Lisa

Kimberly... how long is too long is a relative question...

It really depends on you... on an anatomical level.

I had my issue for over two years. I had seen my GP, 2 dentists, and an ENT - and had a negative biopsy in the middle of all of it.

I had had a sore tongue for a bit - as you may know - I had the molar that was irritating my tongue filed repeatedly and was finally referred to an ENT and had a NEGATIVE BIOPSY - a year before I was actually diagnosed.

My second biopsy noted well differentiated SCC (it is the aggressiveness that makes a difference) I have been a vegetarian for years, worked out daily and did yoga, no smoking no drinking no drugs etc... (I was a sugarholic though!!! and wasn't the best when it came to healthy eating - I liked processed foods a little too much - and organic? well.. not a priority... Food is food right? NOT!!!) Anyway, I contribute my fairly healthy lifestyle (aka - REALLY GOOD IMMUNE SYSTEM) with keeping the whole situation under control for as long as it did.

Had I had other health concerns things might not have been as doable (treatment wise)

My initial scans showed no spread. Once they biopsied me within 3 weeks I had a node pop up and it wasn't a small guy (1.4 cm)

The pathology reports after my surgery were moderately differentiated on the node.

Poorly differentiated is harder to catch but easier to kill (poor cell structure - more susceptible to damage) but it can be highly aggressive and spreads fast and to distant areas more quickly. This is why i always say... time is of the essence no matter what.

and also why a T1 tumor can be life threatening in some ways more so than a T3... It all depends on the aggressiveness, and you. Daily habits? Overall health? Stress? and your metabolism.

I am not sure why but the younger people tend to have a more aggressive form. Maybe because they are more metabolic?

So really some people can have this for years and walk away, and some can have it for months and not.

Hugs. And try not to worry... both of you. Lisa - so glad you are healing.