Buccal mucosal squamous cell carcinoma

barbvedd
barbvedd Member Posts: 8
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello there! I am a 51 year old woman who was recently diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma right buccal mucosa.  Started with what I thought was a cheek bite in Decemeber.  It would not heal properly, and in January at my normal dentist appointment he was concerned and sent me on for a biopsy.  Got the call Feb 6th that the biopsy was positive for SCC.  The next week I had a first and second opinion, a CT/PET scan that showed no sign of metastisis.  I met with the multispecialty head and neck cancer team, and have a 10 hour surgery scheduled for March 12th.  

They are thinking it is stage 2 based on size, but will do removal of the tumor with a radial artery free flap, skin graft to wrist from thigh and a lymph node dissection on the right.  If any nodes are positive or not able to get clean margins then may need to follow up with chemo and/or radiation.  I am terrified of waiting this long 28 days between appointment and surgery. I feel like it is getting worse every day in my mouth (might just be because I know it is cancer), but I am freaking out.  

Any words of advice from those who have been there?  Thank you!

Comments

  • big G
    big G Member Posts: 177 Member
    #2
    Long wait

    I had base of tongue cancer the only advice I could give you at this point is to pray, trust in your medical team, prepare your mindset to take on this new challenge in your life. My wait was about 3 months it seems for ever but you will be fine. If it is determined that you need chemo or radiation come back and start a new thread there are a lot of good people on this site that would be willing to share their experiences and give some tips and recomendations to help you through these treatments. Good luck!

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,466 Member
    #3
    barbvedd Are you Scheduled

    For any chemo or rads as a follow up to your operation-just wondering. Also would like to tell you to calm down if you can your medical team I figure is making sure they have the best plan ready for your situation to make sure it is done right. After all, a 10-hour surgery is nothing to sneeze at. Let me tell you it is hard to relax when you know the cancer is there because you just want it out now. Understood but My story is I was first found to have throat cancer in late November of 2012. Then they set up an appointment for PET scan and it comes back clean for the rest of my body-Thank God. Then meetings with the oncologist, chemotherapy people, and nurse navigator etc. meanwhile they are working up a plan for my cancer treatment for my case and I started treatment the first week of January 2013 I believe January 2. So I was about a month or a little over till treatment started but I believe there is a lot of stuff going on in the background that we don't always see but your team is working to give you the best outcome for your case. So try to put it in perspective that you can do 28 days, you can hang in there and then it will be taken care of. Also prepare for post surgery you will have recovery and healing to do and so this cancer stuff is not easy but you will get through this and we are here for your support also-stay strong-God Bless and Prayers Your Way-Russ 

  • barbvedd
    barbvedd Member Posts: 8
    #4
    big G said:

    Long wait

    I had base of tongue cancer the only advice I could give you at this point is to pray, trust in your medical team, prepare your mindset to take on this new challenge in your life. My wait was about 3 months it seems for ever but you will be fine. If it is determined that you need chemo or radiation come back and start a new thread there are a lot of good people on this site that would be willing to share their experiences and give some tips and recomendations to help you through these treatments. Good luck!

    Thank you for your comments! 

    Thank you for your comments!  I am down to a 17 day wait now.  Trying to stay busy.  I am terrified of the 10 hour surgery but just want this cancer out.  I appreciate your comments, lots of praying all the time.  Have great prayer warriors!! Good luck to you too!

  • barbvedd
    barbvedd Member Posts: 8
    #5
    wbcgaruss said:

    barbvedd Are you Scheduled

    For any chemo or rads as a follow up to your operation-just wondering. Also would like to tell you to calm down if you can your medical team I figure is making sure they have the best plan ready for your situation to make sure it is done right. After all, a 10-hour surgery is nothing to sneeze at. Let me tell you it is hard to relax when you know the cancer is there because you just want it out now. Understood but My story is I was first found to have throat cancer in late November of 2012. Then they set up an appointment for PET scan and it comes back clean for the rest of my body-Thank God. Then meetings with the oncologist, chemotherapy people, and nurse navigator etc. meanwhile they are working up a plan for my cancer treatment for my case and I started treatment the first week of January 2013 I believe January 2. So I was about a month or a little over till treatment started but I believe there is a lot of stuff going on in the background that we don't always see but your team is working to give you the best outcome for your case. So try to put it in perspective that you can do 28 days, you can hang in there and then it will be taken care of. Also prepare for post surgery you will have recovery and healing to do and so this cancer stuff is not easy but you will get through this and we are here for your support also-stay strong-God Bless and Prayers Your Way-Russ 

    Thank you for your comments! 

    Thank you for your comments!  At this point they are not sure about chemo and radiation.  I did meet with the medical oncologist and the radiation oncologist.  They are waiting to see if they are able to get clean margins as it is pretty far back in my mouth.  They are doing a right neck dissection although the PET/CTwas negative, and they said if any of those lymphnodes come up positive then chemo and or radiation would be necessary.  So many unknowns.  Scary stuff.  I am praying constantly, and trying to stay busy.  Thank you so prayers and support.  Barb

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