| | Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 | Just researching, waiting for a biopsy, no real dx yet. Just wanting to express my appreciation for this site and the depth of support and information here. Thank you.
55year old female
new (questionable?) dx left cheek 1/19/15, non drinker, non smoker
not staged yet, nervous, anxios. have a sore, rough spot,size of a quarter, white surface with
red patches, thickened,slowly growing on L cheek for the last 5 months, finally went in to dr to have checked was referred to ENT for biopsy. PCP seems certain it is CA, is stating "malignant neoplasm" on dx.
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2015 Posts: 91 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2015 Posts: 91 | Glad you found this site!! I remember waiting for biopsy results. It certainly took stress to a whole new level. Taking this one step at a time was essential for me as my imagination tends to run in all sorts of directions if I let it. As I just did the next thing I had to do or dealt with the next thing I had to deal with I just got through it. So far I feel really fortunate. This site and the people on it made things much easier to deal with. Knowing you are not alone and that there are people who get it because they have been there is invaluable. Please let us know how it goes. Denise.
Biopsy tongue 3/24/15
Diagnosis SCC tongue/floor of mouth
Partial glossectomy, resection and right neck dissection done
4/22/15
T2aN0M0
05/01/2015-no further treatment indicated at this time,
monthly check ups for two years
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2013 Posts: 559 Likes: 1 | Welcome to the family; it's a tremendous group with lots of knowledge that will help you get through whatever your diagnosis reveals. They sure helped me get through mine.
Sadly, nothing will happen as quickly as you desire. From diagnosis to actual first treatment can easily run a month; it was that way for me, and that way for lots of others. So, be patient; they aren't trying to make you wait; it just takes that long. Use this time productively to educate yourself with material from the OCF website. Try not to worry; that's way easier said than done, but worrying really won't help anything.
Stay busy and keep us informed regularly on what your going through.
take care
Tony
Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)
09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good
| | | | | 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 | Welcome to OCF, Nancy! Hopefully you wont need our services but we've got your back if you do. We will help you with info and support to get thru anything that you are facing.
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: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 | Thank you so much for kind responses! I am waiting for my appointment with the ENT on monday, Feb. 1st. Seems one the one hand like it is coming soon, I am not looking forward to it, and on the other hand like it's an interminable wait...
I have been reading a lot in several areas of this site, there is so much good information. My nursing background is LVN In psych, not oncology, so I am getting a lot of education here as well as so much respect for the courage and daily struggles of so many here who deal with these dx and yet extend so much grace to one another in the fight.
55year old female
new (questionable?) dx left cheek 1/19/15, non drinker, non smoker
not staged yet, nervous, anxios. have a sore, rough spot,size of a quarter, white surface with
red patches, thickened,slowly growing on L cheek for the last 5 months, finally went in to dr to have checked was referred to ENT for biopsy. PCP seems certain it is CA, is stating "malignant neoplasm" on dx.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,293 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,293 Likes: 1 | Welcome Nancy! You sure found us quickly. I'm sure Monday seems a long way off but you have time to read and get educated. The ENT will do a biopsy and send for results. So more waiting. There is a lot of waiting then hurry up and onto next step.
The point at which you want to get sufficiently educated to ask informed questions is after the biopsy comes back and it confirms the cancer (hopefully it is a false alarm). At that point, specifics about the cancer like staging and primary location and treatment options come into play.
When you talk to the oncology and surgeons that is when you want to really need to pay attention and you'll understand more if you do your homework.
There is lots to read here and that will give you a big jump on learning.
Naturally, the best thing is the ENT says he doubts it is cancer but does a biopsy. The results are negative and you put this behind you! Good luck. Don
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | | | | Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Jan 2016 Posts: 3 | Sitting here waiting to are the ENT, just filled out paper work....very nervous but also calmed fron the tremendous information I have gotten here while waiting for this day for the last week and a half. Its seemed like forever but now it's here, I kept thinking the lesion would magically fade away, but it continues to grow.well, at least I'm at the next stage.
55year old female
new (questionable?) dx left cheek 1/19/15, non drinker, non smoker
not staged yet, nervous, anxios. have a sore, rough spot,size of a quarter, white surface with
red patches, thickened,slowly growing on L cheek for the last 5 months, finally went in to dr to have checked was referred to ENT for biopsy. PCP seems certain it is CA, is stating "malignant neoplasm" on dx.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Nancy, we're all thinking of you this morning!
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
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