Hello. I'm a first time poster. This is a great support web site and and really glad I found it. Are there other sites like this?

I was diagnosed 4 years ago with a SSC on my lower lip. It was removed and no radiation was done. Over the last month I recovered from an ulcerated sore on the side of my tongue. Shortly after that I found a sore on the back of my tongue that would not heal. It's been only 3 weeks but seemed to get bigger not smaller. Since my first encounter I have everything checked. So I visited my primary doctor, was sent to an ENT that afternoon, and am facing a surgical biopsy first thing tomorrow morning.

I fear that the cancer has returned and am not dealing well with it. Again, thanks for the web site. Sharing helps. I never realized how much a burden this is on those who love you.

Any thoughts on what king of post operative recovery I should expect? My doctor says that other than the pain from removal and cauterizing (sp?) I should be able to resume normal activites in a few days.

Welcome to the site Steve. Although we hate to have new members it is a great place for people to seek answers and support. There is usually someone here that can answer your questions. And I'm sure someone will that has had a tongue biopsy.

As for the worry, jsut remember as (I believe Mark says) It ain't cancer till the doc says it is... Be sure and explain your worries and stress to your doctor and don't let anyone get away with delaying getting the results to you. With the Holidays next week that might be an issue. Push for answrs. There is no reason for you to go through the holidays with this worry.

Good luck and Take Care,
Dinah

Steve,
Welcome to the forum. I'm sorry offer anything related to the biopsy, but there are may on this forum that have been through and I'm sure they will come along to let you know what you are probably in for. Seems that it isn't too traumatic of a procedure.

But I am wondering, given the fact that you had a ulcer soon before the current one...what was it about it that made the ENT decide to do a biopsy? Did he suggest it could just be a canker sore "outbreak" since you had one that went away earlier?

I should mention that I am stressing right now about a "canker sore" that my husband has had on his tongue for a month. He is 9 months post radiation.

Please keep us informed of how the biopsy goes and what the results are. We're pulling for you.

Anita

Hi Steve,

I don't think I was the first to say "it ain't cancer until the pathologist says so" would be more correct.

You should be fine shortly after the surgical biopsy, the amount of tissue taken is small. If necessary a stitch may be placed to close up the site but the tongue heals pretty fast. Ask your ENT if you have ANY questions and urge him to get the results back quickly please.

An incisional or punch type of biopsy is no big deal

Brian, my husband saw his ENT 3 weeks ago (at that point he had had the sore for two weeks). The ENT was the one that called it a canker sore. He said, as you have mentioned, that it is viral. Could it be that his immune system is still repressed from radiation and chemo and that is why it is taking longer to heal? I talked to my husband about it last night and he said he THINKS it is slowly getting better as it doesn't hurt quite so much now.

Your post has me pretty concerned. Should we call the ENT and insist that he do a biopsy? My husband did say last night that if he worried over every sore he would be a wreck as, since the finish of radiation, he has had maybe one week that he didn't have a sore somewhere.

Thanks,
Anita

Radiation treatments will immuno suppress a patient, and if he already had pre cancer occurrences of canker sores this could be just another. There have been no definitive studies that show what happens to healing rates of post treatment hs virus that I can find. I am very sorry to panic you with my post. MY personal inclination in areas where little is known is to use the gold standard the biopsy. Of course post treatment the biopsy site can take a protracted period to heal after radiation treatments. But if your husband thinks that it is hurting less, getting smaller, etc. I would let things ride for a while before putting him through a procedure that he may not need. Again my apologies in not offering all perspectives. My view becomes tainted when I talk with patients in recurrence 2-3 times a week, and I should have included more information in my post to you. My personal opinion to you is that you watch it for another couple of weeks looking for signs of healing, if not complete healing. If it is a hs virus canker sore, there should be some progress. Confirm with your husband that he had these occasionally before cancer. That would do it for me, since hs virus sores manifest themselves when the immune system is suppressed, which after all the treatments your husband has been through, it certainly is. And with all respect to your doctor who is likely very competent, no one can tell that something is virally induced or if it is something worse, visually. He may have a very good eye and have seen lots of this, but this is always an educated guess, and not fact. Lets hope that over the next few weeks he proves to have that experienced eye that makes great educated, experience trained, assumptions.

Brian,
I feel like I've hijacked Steve's thread...but just one more comment. Husband actually had virtually no herpes/canker sore problems before cancer diagnosis. He actually brought that up to our ENT when he saw him.

After your last post, I wrote a letter and faxed it to our ENT.

Sometimes, I can't figure out what is being vigilant and what is being neurotic.

Thanks for your insights,
Anita

A psychologist years ago said somthing to me I will never forget. "Just because you are paranoid, it doesn't mean they aren't really out to get you." You are hardly neurotic, you are behaving like a perfectly normal person with "cancer survivoritis". And your emotions and concerns are both normal and appropriate for where you and your husband are ihn the process. I can only tell you that as the years pass from the original event that this becomes less acute, but in my 5 years, it hasn't gone away completely. Perhaps some of the longer term survivors can offer insights into when in their own lives this gets to not be part of your daily thought process.