I came to this website in April of 2005 searching for hope and answers as my husband was diagnosed with SCC T4 n2c M0 base of tongue cancer. Needless to say, we were devastated as like many of the people on this website, he has so much more living to do! I personally received alot of support and answers to questions that were not readily available from other health care professionals and for that I am grateful. My husband's first CT/PET scan post tx with radiation and chemo showed no evidence of residual cancer. We are ecstatic! He still has problems eating as he can't keep lower dentures in place, and he is going to ask his radiation oncologist if he would be a candidate to have posts placed in lower jaw (probably unlikely due to twice daily radiation txs for 5 1/2 weeks)but he's going to ask anyway since chewing is difficult. Anyway, thanks to all of you who were so supportive of us during the most difficult time of our lives.
Virginia
Wife to Doug

Virginia, that is super good news and we are all glad to hear it!

About the lower teeth, implants are indeed possible (says a woman who owns some). First comes hyperbaric oxygen therapy to cause temporary revascularization of the radiated bone, then the implants are placed and six months or so later a denture is screwed onto the implants. All of this has to wait for at least six months and as much as a year after the radiation to allow the tissues to heal. Start fighting with your insurance company now to get them in the mood to contribute to the rather steep cost. Are they as good as real teeth? Almost. Better than dentures, by a mile, I have been told.

Again, congratulations!

Thank you so much for the info Joanna!!
Sincerely,
Virginia