possible recurrance

joannaw81
joannaw81 Member Posts: 185 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
hello all, I am new to this site. I normally use Cacnercompass. My mom is 8 months post tratment for stage 3 tonsil cancer with 1 lymph node. she had surgury to remove the cancer as well as neck dissection with 15 lymph nodes removed. pathology confirmed that only 1 lymp node was positive and all margins were negative. after she completed radiation without chemo. she didn't use feeding tube, overall the she did very well. about 3 months post radiaitn something showed up on the same, left side of her tounge, it was painful, like a ucler. doctors kept saying for 3 months that it's probably side effect from radiation. it got better for about 1 month and now it came back even bigger, hoever still very small, less than 1 cm. a white lump, painful to touch. We went to the doctor, he said it looks like an infection however he decided to remove it and sent it for pathology. I am terrified, any suggestions with this? I am not sure what to think, tonsil seems so far from the tounge....we should have the rusults on tuesday. any answers are appreciated, thank you

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi joannaw
    Welcome to CSN. I know it looks bad but it is best to wait and get the results back so you will know exactly where you are. Just to let you know I had my cancer come back three times and I beat it all three times, for now it is the waiting game and praying that all will be well.

    Hondo
  • joannaw81
    joannaw81 Member Posts: 185 Member
    #3
    Hondo said:

    Hi joannaw
    Welcome to CSN. I know it looks bad but it is best to wait and get the results back so you will know exactly where you are. Just to let you know I had my cancer come back three times and I beat it all three times, for now it is the waiting game and praying that all will be well.

    Hondo

    thanks for your answer Hondo

    thanks for your answer Hondo
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #4
    I Agree With Hondo
    Hoping doc was right, and it's an infection - hopefully one that'll clear up quickly. It's only natural that you're scared, though. Please let us know how it goes.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
    Welcome Joanna
    I started out on Cancercompass myself, but found a home here...awesome people and tons of knowledge and experience here.

    Unfortunately, you're gonna have to wait for results. But on the good note for now, it hasn't been confirmed as being cancer or a recurrence.

    You mention the tonsils as being far from the tongue. In reality our type of cancer does frequently have a primary site and a secondary. That's not so scare you, just educate.

    Like your mother I had STGIII SCC right tonsil cancer and one lymphnode on the same side. I did have the tonsils come out but not the tumor (it dissolved during treatment). I had a combination of sixteen weeks chemo and chemo/rads concurrently. Like your mother I also didn't have a PEG.

    All of that was back in early 2009. In my case all has been good reports and scans.

    So hoping your mothers biopsy turns out to not be cancer and something else that's treatment is non-invasive and easy.

    Thoughts and Prayers,
    John

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