#18613 09-15-2005 09:07 AM | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 325 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | OP  Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 325 | I just got the biopsy results today, SCC left lateral tongue, anterior third. (Invasive, moderately differentiated). Tomorrow, to the ENT surgeon for a "nice-to-meetcha" session. I am an ICU nurse at the hospital I will be frequenting, and Hoo-Boy, is THAT weird. I guess MRI's/CT's early next week for the staging process, then waiting for the news update. I am so glad to have found your site while searching the Web for info.
Thanks for being.
SCC L lat tongue,Dx 9/15/05 T1N0MX L MND and L lateral hemiglossectomy 10/03/05. Recurrence 11/15/06 2nd surgery 12/04/06 hemiglossectomy 3rd surgery 01/15/07 tonsillectomy Radiation 01/25/07 to 03/08/07 3-D/CRT X 30
| | |
#18614 09-15-2005 09:34 AM | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 129 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 129 | Andrea-
Sorry that you needed to visit this site. But this is the place to be when you have this wretched disease. Lots of very helpful and informative individuals here that can help you with questons and concerns. Let us know how you make out with your scans. Best wishes for a stage 1!
Tami
Tami
Mom has Bot scc stage T1/N1= stage 3 dx 6/27/05 treatment IMRT & chemo (docetaxel, cisplatin, 5FU) ended treatment 8/22/05 Cancer free as of Feb 2006
| | |
#18615 09-15-2005 09:48 AM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,244 | Andrea
Sorry you needed to find us, this site has a very good search engine, but if as is likely your brain goes into meltdown just ask the questions as they come to mind, we have all been there, seen the movie, got the tee-shirt. No questions are to small lean on us, we have broad shouders.
Sunshine...love and hugs
Helen
SCC Base of tongue, (TISN0M0) laser surgery, 10/01 and 05/03 no clear margins. Radial free flap graft to tonsil pillar, partial glossectomy, left neck dissection 08/04
| | |
#18616 09-15-2005 02:33 PM | Joined: May 2003 Posts: 928 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2003 Posts: 928 | Welcome Andrea,
I am glad you found us so early in this bloody awful journey you are about to embark on.
Let us know how your staging and glad-to meetcha interview goes, my biggest hope is that this is a very early stage cancer you have found.
Take Care
Marica
Caregiver to husband Pete, Dx 4/03 SCC Base of Tongue Stage IV. Chemo /Rad no surgery. Treatment finished 8/03. Doing great!
| | |
#18617 09-15-2005 03:08 PM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 837 | Andrea,
Welcome to this site -- I'm sure you can find a great deal of help and support here.
You didn't mention whether the hospital you're going to is a cancer center. If it's not, I would urge you to get to one before your course of treatment is finalized. Depending on the stage, surgery alone may not be enough, and you have the best chance of dealing with this illness if you give it your best shot on the first try.
Cathy
Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989
| | |
#18618 09-15-2005 03:09 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,219 | Hi Andrea,
You are where I was on March 22, 2005. Moderately differentiated scc of the left lateral border of the tongue. I did not find this wonderful forum until after my surgery on April 6th. It would have been a bit easier for me if I had the information and help available from this site and it's members.
Please feel free to contact me via email or private message if you feel that I can help at all, having been through this less than 6 months ago.
I want you to know that I am doing well and have been back to 99% for quite awhile. I hope that you will have as much success fighting this disease.
Jerry
Jerry
Retired Dentist, 59 years old at diagnosis. SCC of the left lateral border of the tongue (Stage I). Partial glossectomy and 30 nodes removed, 4/6/05. Nodes all clear. No chemo no radiation 18 year survivor.
"Whatever doesn't kill me, makes me stronger"
| | |
#18619 09-15-2005 03:28 PM | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 15 Member | | Member
Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 15 | Hi Andrea, I to am at the start of my treatment. In fact I was up at the hospital today for my pre-op app'ts and met the whole Head and Neck oncology team. My surgury is scheduled fo Tues(Sept. 20)and like you, I am terrified. I have already received a lot of info and support fron this web site and forum as you will too. I have SCC of the right lateral tongue with 1 bad lymph node on the neck. The tongue is a recurrence from a tumor removed 3 years ago. They are going to do a hemi-glossectomy and right neck dissection with a forearm radial free flap reconstruction followed by RT and maybe chemo depending on the pathology. The Docs have told me that the tongue tumor is fairly superficial a T2 most likely and I have a good shot at beating this. I am hopeful and positive and I hope you are too. We need lots of hope and faith to get thru these tough times. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Betsy | | |
#18620 09-15-2005 03:58 PM | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 150 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 150 | Ohhhh Andrea. I am so sorry to hear. I am an RN and have been the supporter of my father all through this process. It is so amazing to have this outlet--so many experiences and open, wonderful people.
Dad Treated for T2N1M0 Tonsil Cancer August 2005. 35 IMRT radiation, 3 doses Cisplatin. Selective Modified Neck Dissection November.
| | |
#18621 09-15-2005 04:21 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 | Andrea-Good Luck and remember you can "give um Hell" if you don't like the care you are getting. And you can come here to get suppost. Amy
CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease
:
| | |
#18622 09-16-2005 12:33 AM | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 148 Gold Member (100+ posts) | | Gold Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 148 | Andrea,
I sat in your spot a couple of years ago. For me, the hemiglossectomy and neck dissection were not the hard part, talking and eating afterward were. My physician used alloderm instead of a graft from my arm and it healed beautifully. Can't really tell I had the surgery unless I stick my tongue straight out and there is a slight curve in on the right side, even though I lost 25% of my tongue. Oh yeah, and the scar on my neck is a clue, but it hides in a natural fold in the skin.
Since I was T1N0M0, no radiation or chemo for me. Without the added treatment, my tongue felt pretty numb for almost a year and I still slur my speech when I have been talking a lot or I am tired.
I was in ICU 2 nights on a vent due to swelling, and in the hospital an additional 4 days.
I wish you the best, and will be praying the road ahead is not too bumpy. I will be having a biopsy of my alloderm graft on Monday for a study my ENT is doing, and I am hoping the research allows more patients this option. (and that I don't swell up again and slur for weeks...)
Sincerely,
Lisa
Lisa
SCC of Tongue Stage 1 (T1,N0,M0)
partial glossectomy,modified neck dissection 4/14/03
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,235 Posts197,106 Members13,294 | | Most Online1,788
Jan 23rd, 2025 | | |
|
