Hi my name is Leonard and we just found out last week that my father who is 64 years old has oral cancer. ENT stated he has had this for 3 - 6 months. We are waiting for authorization to have a biopsy and ct scan done so we don't know what were dealing with or to what extent. This waiting is unbearable for us. My father has never been one to complain and isn't. I spoke to him last nite and he is having a hard time eating. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep him comfortable. What do we have to look forward to? 3 - 6 months dx? Should he be in the hospital? So many questions help !!

First thing is to take a deep breath and calm down. Only a biopsy can confirm the cancer so you need to wait until those results come back. Even if it is confirmed as cancer there are many details that will have to be known before anyone here can begin to answer any questions you may have. We all know the waiting is horrible but there's not much you can do until the path report comes back. Without knowing what type of doctor told you he's probably had the "cancer" for 3 - 6 months, it's also hard for me to comment. Even if it's true it really depends on many other factors that no one can know at this point if that's a bad thing. I probably had mine for at least that length of time and it didn't change my Tx. It's fairly common for Oral Cancer patients to discover their cancer many months after "they had it".

Here's an excellent recipe book, "Easy-to-Swallow Easy-to-Chew Cookbook":

http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Swallow-...mp;s=books&qid=1222224429&sr=8-1

Also, for the time being, look at the Ensure drinks for complete over-the-counter nourishment (three of any of the nourishment drinks like Ensure, Boost, VHC, etc., will provide all the daily vitamins) easily obtainbable in grocery stores and pharmacies.

Pete,

I'm going to check out that cookbook, too. Thank you, Lani

OCF has a relationship with Amazon. It can be accessed through the links on the main page of the web site and on the main page of the forums. If you enter Amazon through one of our links, they give us a 4% donation of your purchase amount. It costs you nothing except the click to enter their site through ours. It would be nice if we capitalized on this by using it, and telling others to help us by using it. Every little bit helps pay for the operation of this board and site.... Our biggest month for a donation from Amazon is December, but each month a few dollars come our way from them because people circulate emails, tell co-workers, and use themselves the OCF link into Amazon.

Thank you all for your support and good information. Once we know more about my father I will have many more questions !!!

Thanks for the reminder Brian! I had completely forgotten about the Amazon donation deal.

Hi Leonard..I am not new to this site but faily new to the whole oral cancer situation...I noticed something like a canker in my mouth about december last year and this month had the tumor removed...so if that helps at all all I know and if it is any comfort the waiting is the hardest just keep yourself busy and take one day at a time I am still waiting for results from surgery so yeah I have to say that the waiting is hard and as far as soft food goes it's was kinda trial and error for me..stuff I really liked then figured out how to mince it or soften it enough to eat it....Just keep encouraging your dad and do normal stuff...and just be there for him which it is obvious you are doing already...take care and one day at a time

Leonard:

Welcome to OCF. Glad you found this site, it will help you with your father. Do you know where your father's cancer is located? There are many kinds of oral cancer, it could be on his tongue, inside his cheek, in his throat or other places for it to be oral cancer.

To help ease his mouth pain ask either the ENT or family doctor for a prescription with refills for magic mouthwash. There are several variations of it, mine was benadryl, lidocaine, and malox. He would swish this around in his mouth for about 20 seconds and then spit it out before eating. It will help numb his mouth so he can eat better. If he is uncomfortable, he may also need some type of prescription pain meds.

Its pretty difficult for a doc to tell you the cancer has been there 3-6 months. I had what I thought was a canker sore on the inside of my cheek for at least 4 months before I got it checked. My doc told me it could have been there under the surface for a long time before it became visible.

Fighting oral cancer can be a rough road. You will find tons of support here. There is tons of info on the main part of the web site too.

I want to thank you all for you encouraging words and support. Well his tongue is in alot of pain, he has lost a tooth and today he tells us he has an ear ache now...My father will have a ct scan on 09/30/08 and a biopsy on 10/1/08. Will the ENT be able to have any answers for us once he does the biopsy and has the ct scan results? or will I still need to wait for path report to come back? Is there any questions at all I can ask the ENT the day of the biopsy? I also heard the ENT will be doing some type of fiber optic tests?

Leonard