Last February, I noticed a lump on the floor of my mouth on the right side. It was very painful. Every Dr. I went to said cancer is not very painful in the early stages. The only Dr. the definitely said I needed a biopsy was my dentist. This lumo was only removed because it continued to cause pain and was getting bigger. When I began to have ear pain, then my specialist said let's do surgery and remove it. Did anyone else on here have pain before they were diagnosed? It was like one nught I was fine and the next morning I woke up with pain under my tongue only when eating, and then it gradually got worse. The pain is what kept me going back to the Drs. Just wondering.

Angelia

I never had any pain but my Primary was BOT, if that makes any difference?, and by the time I found my cancer it was because of my swollen neck, again painless. If it wasn't for my wife I would have delayed going to see a doctor until perhaps it was untreatable.

I had tremendous ear pain for over a year and was constantly misdiagnosed with sinus problems, TMJ, stress, clogged Eustachian tube, etc. Turns out ear pain is a classic symptom of base of tongue cancer due to nerve location. My tumor had grown so big and spread to lymph nodes by the time I finally had a CT scan. Congratulations on getting it early - much better odds on beating this than if discovered very late like mine.
My guess is they might suggest radiation and chemo as a precaution against recurrence.

How is it that so many "classic" symptoms can be mis-diagnosed or missed as cancer? I had pain at the back of my mouth where my partial sat against my gum and that is a sign that there could be a tumor at the base of your tongue also. It was not until the tumor poked through the previous flap sugery that we did a biopsy and found that there was a tumor 6 cm at the base of my tongue. I wish that I had known more to make a bigger deal out of it and maybe we would have found the tumor sooner?

Patty

Thanks for all the replies. This is all so new to me. I haven't even had my follow up appt. for my surgery yet. It amazes me how one phone call and three words can change a life forever.

I had pain for a long time and couldn't get any of the Drs to check it. I kept hearing it's nothing and will go away soon. I guess soon meant as soon as i had sugery LOL Well, been there had that and still have pain.

My biggest pain now is in the lower right jaw on the gum where the molar was. Damn thing hurts all day long and when I eat it gets really after me. Miracle MM helps some b ut not tha much. Maybe this new med will help when I get up to 3 daily and at one time, that time is before bed tho.

You still have pain even after the surgery? Do you think that will ever go away? I am a week post-op and now am not on pain meds, but can not eat any solid foods as of yet. I know I consider myself lucky to catch this thing so early. I only lost a portion of my tongue and some off the floor of my mouth. I do find that talking alot it still really painful. Unfortunately I am a teacher and have to talk a lot. My first ful day back to work was today and I was an emotional wreck after another teacher decided to make an insensitive comment about my speech.

My first two cancers weren't painful, but the third was and that was a good thing because it had not showed up on a recent CT scan and was deep enough in my throat that it wasn't obvious. The pain at the site, plus pain in my ear on that side, pushed me to ask my Doc to take a look -- He did and immediately took a biopsy, which turned out to be more SCC.

I didn't have any pain and had no idea that anything was wrong. Mine was found when I had a follow-up CT to check a neck fusion. I know how lucky I am.

As I look at all your signatures, I notice that still seems to reoccur. Is there a reason why it does? I am guessing that there is a high reoccurance rate on this stuff, which is why my Dr said he will be seeing me every two months for several years?

Statistics are not a good guide to recurrence as what does it matter to you if 90% get cured but you are in the 10% that doesn't? My doctors gave three reasons on why my cancer recurred and they all believe I am right on track for it to come back a THIRD time if I do not get additional radiation and chemo (which I have signed up for after Memorial Day)
1. My cancer tumor is radiation resistant
2. My cancer has "extensive perineural involvement" according to the latest Pathology report
3. Cancers with factors #1 and 2 above in their experience keep coming back if they were T-3 or T-4 and Stage IV until they win and you die absent aggressive treatment.
Still, there are plenty of people for whom the initial treatment did the trick, especially when they caught it early like you did. Mine was not only Stage IV, but my tumor size was T3 and it had spread to two lymph nodes before they caught it, the bigger the tumor, the worse the odds
[quote]Tumor Size is divided into four classes:

* T-1 is from 0 - 2 centimeters.
* T-2 is from 2 - 5 cm.
* T-3 is greater than 5cm .
* T-4 is a tumor of any size that has broken through (ulcerated) the skin, or is attached to the chest wall.

To offer a scale comparison in centimeters: a black-eyed pea would fit into the T-1 category; a walnut would be in T-2, and a lime would appear in T-3 class.[/quote]
good luck - statistics put you in a good posture

I had an ear ache for 1 1/2 years. Hurt like all H*** at times. I was treated for alergies. I also developed a not quit sore throat. When I came in with lymphnodes on eitherside of my neck swollen and sore. I was treated for a peritonsilar abcessed.

My Dr. did tell me it was a T1, I guess that is the best possible diagnosis. I am still trying to grasp this whole ordeal.