I'm glad to find this forum. Most other forums I've seen are all-inclusive cancer forums. I know members here will definitely be able to relate. I was diagnosed with leukoplakia on the bottom right side of my tongue in 1995. I had a biopsy in '97 that was benign. My oral surgeon did ck-ups every 6 months. After developing red inflamed areas in '04, he sent me to an oral surgeon that sees it every day practicing in a university town. He immediately biopsied 2 areas with 1 coming back as scc. He had a CT scan done. He did a glossectomy, graft and cervical lymphadenectomy in April 2004. He got clean margins and no nodes were involved. He kept a close watch, every 6-8 weeks and told me it could recur any where in my mouth. We found that it had spread to the gum area of my back right molar in December '04. He again did surgery in Jan. '05 to remove the back two molars & tissue until clean margins and checked my jaw bone which showed no involvement. In June of '05 I discovered a lump on the right side of my neck below my jaw, below my ear. He immediately did another CT scan which was inconclusive but did surgery the end of July. One node was involved. I began radiation the end of August until Oct. 21. Radiation wasn't new to me as I had it when I had a lumpectomy for breast cancer in 2000 so I was able to use the same oncologist. However, this was just as traumatizing, in a different way. I had a PET scan in Feb. of this year and all was clear. I have an ulcer on the inside of my right cheek that I will have my surgeon check next Tuesday at my regular appt. I believe my back molars on the top are resting on that part of my cheek keeping it from healing. Of course, the radiation changed the cheek tissue so that it is easier to irritate. Thank you for allowing me to share my experience, and I look forward to meeting kindred spirits. Oh, btw, I am not a smoker, chewer, or drinker either.

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Hi Cathy
Welcome to this forum, I hope we can help, but you seem to be on top of everything so far,.
We range from crazy to very supportive, never be afraid to raise any issue. Usually someone has traveled the road before..
I wish you luck on Tuesday for you check..
Sunshine.. love and hugs
Helen

Cathy, it sounds like you are a strong and determined lady and have had good care so far. Hope the checkup next Tues. is a "non-event". Amy

Hi Cathy, Welcome. I'm also a breast cancer and oral cancer survivor though I had mine diagnosed and treated almost simultaneously. I actually had the radaition for my breast cancer 4 months after the radaition for oral cancer ended and found it SOOOO easy by comparison. Sounds like you had the "easier" one first but got through both just fine. Hope you have a great all-clear checkup!

Nelie

Thank you for all of your well wishes. It is so good to find that I am not alone in this, and there are others who know the "befores" and "afters" about all of it.

Nelie, bless your heart,-being first introduced to radiation for your oral cancer. Yes, the radiation for the breast cancer was "easier", but still traumatic for me in different ways. Though, I just about cried everyday going to my treatments and going back home during both times I had radiation. I sure wish I had known about this forum while I was going through my last radiation treatments!

Thanks again for the welcomes.

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