Hello all,

I was dx'd in Dec '08 with clear cell adenocarcinoma of a minor salivary gland in the soft tissue adjacent to the hard palate. This is early stage T1N0M0 with no infiltration into the bone of the hard palate. The recommended surgery is additional excision of soft tissue (beyond the bx site) and partial palatectomy.

I'm not clear why the palatectomy is recommended since there is no infiltration into the bone (per the pathologist). I'm told "this is the standard procedure." I'm getting a second opinion later this week.

I'm a serious classical singer and cannot get any answer on how a partial palatectomy will affect my ability to sing. Anyone know?

Just getting acquainted with these boards. Perhaps this is addressed somewhere.

hello and welcome. i do not have the answer you desire but wanted to drop a note of welcome and let you know i wish you the very best on your new road ... i am sure someone will know more about your exact concerns, and be able to give you an answer shortly.

blessings, Rita

Gayle --

Look for postings by August, who also had a partial palatectomy and also sings. You could also click on User List (at the top of each page) to find her profile and send her an e-mail or a private message.

I got 5 opinions and they were all different in some respects. Glad I did!! I went with a CCC which was my last one.

Leslie is right. August (real name Colleen) will be a great source of information for you. She is a caring person with a great deal of information on this subject. I know that Colleen sings in a chorale group and also does solos.

There is no question that after removal of part of the palate and the use of an obturator, your voice would certainly be affected. A second or even a third opinion certainly is a great idea.

Good luck.

Jerry

colleen had the maxillectomy as i did - so it will differ. they did remove part of the palate with both of us, but probably a big difference from what you will have done.

colleen still sings - a good fitting obturator is the key and that can be tricky to get a good fit for a while ... as the tissue is constantly changing causing a need for refits ...

i too used to sing - probably still could but it would be different ... when i have the permanent obturator made in a few months i hope to have a good fit like colleen has, and this may make singing more as my old norm.

best wishes - i am sure colleen will be along soon

Hey, All! I will be more than happy to answer any and all questions about my surgery and singing. I am likely more of an amateur than Gayle is, but music and singing are my chief pleasures in life, and when I had this surgery, that was my first question. It seems ironic that I had worked for a full year organizing an audition-only 40-voice choral group in my city, and after our first concert, I was dx'd with OC. I missed one concert.....Then I had to sing alto instead of soprano in the Mozart Requiem, since I knew both parts already....and haven't missed another concert since, singing soprano as always. I don't sing as well as before, but part of that reason is that my laryngeal nerve was insulted during my neck dissection, and my vocal cords didn't function properly for a while. I still don't feel like my voice is quite the same as before, but maybe I just got older without noticing! My enunciation is not quite perfect sometimes, but at others it's fine, depending on how tired I am.

It's not the end of the world, though for a singer, it's more disappointing to have this surgery than for one for whom that's not a consideration.

You WILL continue to sing. There's no doubt about that! and there is no reason that the obturator should compromise your voice, especially if the soft palate isn't involved. Your oral cavity will be changed somewhat, by the presence of the obturator, so you'll have to train to accommodate for that change.

I think that you can proceed with confidence that you will NOT have to give up your music. You might have to change your technique a bit....and you might find that you do better with some types of music than others. The problem with an obturator is getting it to fit well enough that air doesn't escape and cause nasality. It just takes time, and trial and error.

I still do sing some solos...not like before, but I'm still "out there." I cantor at church and get compliments...and I feel that I am a significant contributor in the Chorale.

I would certainly get more opinions. I don't know why the surgeon will take bony tissue if the tumor is in the salivary gland......Perhaps he meant the soft palate? did he say anything about removing part of the maxilla and a tooth or two? Yes, I would certainly ask HIM for more explanation, and I would tell him that, since you need to do everything you can to preserve your singing voice, you plan to get another opinion. Most dr.s understand, and if he doesn't, then maybe he's not the right one for you anyway. As long as you are going to the trouble for a second opinion, I sure would go to a cancer center with lots of OC experience.

Please don't hesitate to post questions here or send me a personal email. My son is getting married soon, and I don't come to the forum every day, so perhaps a personal email would get quicker attention. Jerry alerted me to the fact that you had posted with questions that I could maybe help with. I hope I can!

XO--Colleen

Thank you everyone for your responses and excellent information.

I did just get another opinion, both have been at major cancer centers in So Calif. Based on my cell type (clear cell adenoCa), this MD recommended a much less invasive procedure. Unless the pathologist was incorrect about invasion into the bone (I doubt the path was wrong, it has been confirmed by two different pathologists), there will be no excision of bone at all, only soft tissue.

So, I will be having the less invasive surgery, and feel so much better about the situation.

Gayle

Gayle,

That's great news. Good luck with with the surgery.

Jerry