Tongue pain--5 months post-surgery

Marty36
Marty36 Member Posts: 84
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Things have been going great. Finished Radiation/Chemo beginning of September and just returned from a week-long vacation in Europe. More tired than usual, but feeling good until . . .

Recently, I've been having pain in my tongue where the tumor was removed via TORS. I can feel that the area around the incision has thick bumps and now there is some pain/sensitivity to hot and cold around where the incision is. The surgery was five months ago. I have my three-month PET/CT scan in a couple of weeks so now this has freaked me out a little. I've never really worried all that much about the cancer coming back because I've been really confident about my course of treatment, but now this has me worried. Could it be scar tissue? Healing?

I had a tumor removed near base of tongue through TORS. Two surgeries (main removal, some additional removal plus neck dissection). 42 radiation treatment to the neck and 2 rounds of Cisplatin for extracellular in one node.

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Marty

    Your body is still healing for all the Radiation and Chemo and sometimes scar tissue starts to forms in the area that was treated. If you want give your ENT a call and have it checked out just to be sure.

    Take care
    Hondo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #3
    I'm just absolutely blown
    I'm just absolutely blown away that you went to Europe for a week and you just finished treatment in September. That's like unbelievable to me. Good for you.

    I'm not sure about your tongue issue. If you are concerned make an appointment and get checked out. Or wait for your scan. I can't really identify with that because even 2.5 years out my tongue is still extremely sensitive to hot and cold. I will also get bumps on my tongue from eating things like Tomatoes and things high in acid. I have to avoid that kind of thing.

    Good luck with your scan.
  • CAjim2011
    CAjim2011 Member Posts: 15
    #4
    Hello Marty,
    I was diagnosed
    Hello Marty,

    I was diagnosed with stage 4 Left tonsil CA in April 2011. I had bilateral tonsillectomy, followed by left radical tonsillectomy via TORS mid April. I immedietely noted left lateral tongue numbness following my TORS surgery. The ENT surgeons told me it was a compression injury from pushing the tongue down during my surgery. I was advised the numbness would resolve within 3-6 months. I noted initial improvement, but have not noted any further improvement over th past 4-5 months. My left lateral tongue is numb and very sensitive to hot and cold. My tongue hurts more at the end of the day, especially after alot of talking. I begin to slur my speech by the end of the day, due to pain and numbness. I'm starting to think maybe the surgeon cut a nerve, rather than a compression injury. Pain managment has had me on Neurontin for the past 3 months, but no improvement. Does your ENT think he cut a nerve? Since you had base of tongue CA, intuitively one may suspect a nerve or branch of nerve innervating the tongue may have been lacerated in your case. Does your ENT suspect a conpression injury? I guess I would ask him those questions. I also had modified radical neck dissection, but my numnbess was present prior to the neck dissection (3rd surgery). Your pain sounds neuropathic, just based on its description. If it is neuropathic, Neurontin or Lyrica may be of benefit if it persists. if the pain is due to nerve laceration, I don't think any medication would help. Best of luck with your follow-up PET. Sounds like you have had excellent treatment and positive thoughts your PET will be clean. I don't think your tongue pain would have any etiology related to residual cancer. Hang tough. That's all we can do.

    CAJim
  • Marty36
    Marty36 Member Posts: 84
    #5
    sweetblood22 said:

    I'm just absolutely blown
    I'm just absolutely blown away that you went to Europe for a week and you just finished treatment in September. That's like unbelievable to me. Good for you.

    I'm not sure about your tongue issue. If you are concerned make an appointment and get checked out. Or wait for your scan. I can't really identify with that because even 2.5 years out my tongue is still extremely sensitive to hot and cold. I will also get bumps on my tongue from eating things like Tomatoes and things high in acid. I have to avoid that kind of thing.

    Good luck with your scan.

    I was one of the lucky ones.
    I was one of the lucky ones. Went back to work full-time a week after finishing radiation (worked p/t and from home during). Never had to take pain medication during radiatoin/chemo and was able to eat the whole time without any mouthsores. I feel very fortunate. I had planned the trip when I got diagnosed and found out my partner was moving abroad in the same week.

    Here's my blog

    http://myfortyeighthyear.tumblr.com/post/4775925348/happy-birthday-to-me
  • robinleigh
    robinleigh Member Posts: 297
    #6
    My husband is almost 6
    My husband is almost 6 months post treatment. The only lingering pain is on the side of his tongue and he has had check-ups including ct Evans and pet scans and nothing is going on in that area. I think it is normal to still be dealing with pain still from healing from the surgery.

Discussion Boards