I am 58yrs old, new to this site and i have suffered a lot till now but still fighting. I don't smoke nor drink alcohol. neverthless i was diagnosed with tongue cancer seven yrs ago. the tumor was on the right side of the base of my tongue, a small white patch. i had my first surgery in 2000. after 3yrs of being disease free in 2003 I had a reoccurence, at exactly the same place. second surgery and then IMRT, that was ceased for a while due to the side-effects.till 2006 i had 2 more surgeries(2004,2005) because of the tumor keep coming back at the same place.then in June 2006 along with the tongue there were also some glands that were affected. i started chemo(parapaltin,Erbitux) but i think things got worse instead of better, more glands were affected and finally i had the fifth surgery that was really very serious and difficult, including tongue and right side neck dissection. after the surgery i had XRT + chemo at the same time in my neck to destroy any remaining cancer cells at that area. but unfortunately last week week that i visited my surgeon he told me that there is a new ca on the tongue and that we need to have 1/2 glossectomy asap. on the other side my oncologist says that i should first have a chemo (Erbitux+cisplatin) and then surgery. but i am not sure if i have this time. i have to decide and honestly i don't know what to do. i am really tired from all these I have been through and want so much to know what would be the right choice, so if you pls could advise me taht would make me feel much better
good luck to all of us.

God sophia if it was only that easy.If you ask twenty people on this forum what they think you should do ,i guess you would pretty much get the same answer.Everyones case is unique,and every one has to make the right choice for them based on the facts and options.

The most important thing for you is to get all the medical facts options and possible outcome. If after all that you still cant decide,get a second opinion and see how that compares.In the mean time read some stories on this forum and see how others have coped when faced with your news.

Carry on asking questions as i know there are plenty here who have faced difficult choices,and they will be ready and willing to help.

love liz

Sophia,

You have had quite a history with re occurrence and only a few of us here may have pertinent advice. You need to listen to your doctors and maybe get another opinion to verify the first. My only other comment is that I see more people that have the tongue surgery before chemo/rad than the other way around but again you have a long history which may have a bearing on the decision. Have you gotten the 2 together and asked them that same question? That's where I would start.

Sophia,
I would go and have a 2nd opinion asap. It seems they have fooled around enough, and a good cancer center opionion would not be a waste of time or money.
I hope you will do that.
Debbie

thank you all very much for your help. i asked again my surgeon and he agrees now with the oncologist's opinion. he thinks that by doing this we may manage to avoid cutting 1/2 part. but i don't really know why i am not totally convinced. well the bad thing is that there isn't really a cancer center here, only a public one that you have to wait for ages for getting an appointment! all of us who have been through this can help each other more than the doctors do most of the times because we completely understand how it is....that's what i believe.

Hi Sophia, I have a friend (named Sophia) who is from Greece. Her father was treated for throat cancer there and she was telling me how frustrating and full of corruption the medical system there is. It must be very hard with you having all the recurrences. And I know from experience how frustrating it is when two doctors recommend two different things. I'm glad your doctors are at least in agreement now. Please keep coming here to post with questions if they come up.

Nelie

by surfing in the forum list i found out that there is also another solution the radiation chemo combination even if you have already been radiated. could this be possible in my case? i have already received 60Gy in 2004. do you have any experience or input on decicing between chemo-surgery and rad-chemo scheme?

I am going thru the rads chemo combo right now and then rad seed tongue implants and another neck dissection. I undersatnd the concern you have and wish I had an answer. This is only my 2nd day for the rad chemo and am still in the dark about it, good luck.

Sophia,
Let's consider this... I would not tell you what to do one way or the other, however, I do want us to think about your situation... OK, suppose you decide to go with the oncologist (with whom the surgeon now apparently agrees), and do the chemo first. If it shrinks the place on your tongue, then there's the possibility that the surgeon would have to take less. I would tend to see that as an advantage... however, more often than not, these situations place us in some rather precarious situations where we are damned if we do and damned if we don't. We are going to have to cope with the misery of it all anyway... that's why we are here... for the most part I've done as my Drs. have suggested, and at this point I've no regrets, but when it comes to your situation, I would hope that they could find a happy medium, as it appears they have, and come to terms in an agreement. Consider going with what your doctors say... God bless, and keep on coming here... that's the most important thing... there are those of us who care. I may not be able to do much, but I can listen and communicate. Take care; you are in my prayers.

Sophia,
Saw on the news where there's tons of snow in Greece. Did you get any of it? How is everything? Hope all is well.