Swollen Tongue Before treatment starts

brigboo67
brigboo67 CSN Member Posts: 24
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My mom was just diagnosed 2 weeks ago with Stage 4a base of tongue cancer. The tumor is 5cmx4cmx2cm. We are leaving for Mayo Clinic Monday for a 2nd opinion. However, if she sticks her tongue out it is noticably swollen on the left side (the side that the tumor affects). She said today her tongue feels more swollen and like she is choking. She is worried that going to Mayo and putting off starting treatment here in Peoria was a bad decision. Did anyone else have tongue swelling before they started treatment? The ENT said it could be lymphadema since her nodes in her neck are involved.

Comments

  • SASH
    SASH CSN Member Posts: 421 Member
    #2
    Big Tongue
    My tongue was so large from the tumor that the dentist had to make a 1/2" - 3/4" bite guard that fit over my front teeth to keep my mouth open at night. My tongue rested on top of my teeth and stuck out past my lips. This lasted several weeks until treatment could start. The cause of mine was the tumor was just so large that it made my tongue appear to be so large. It was actually the tumor. From the time I was diagnosed to the time I started treatment was approximately 5 - 6 weeks.

Discussion Boards