Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer

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jai
jai Member Posts: 5
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
This is for my Brother in Law who is suffering from Tongue cancer (Well differentiated Squamous Cell carcinoma). He was diaognised with the same in August and was already 12 Months late for diagnosis.We have been taking Opinion from various Doctors and is finding it difficult to arrive at a conclusion as to whether adopt Radiation with Chemo therapy or a Full Toungue removal surgery. We are getting Mixed responses from Doctors as to how we should proceed. he has already started with Radiation and is in the 5th day today.

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  • connieprice1
    connieprice1 Member Posts: 300 Member
    #2
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    Hello Jai, Really sorry to
    Hello Jai, Really sorry to hear the bad news but you have found a great discussion board for advice. I am not clear as to how big the tumor is on your brother in law's tongue or whether his cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. My wife Connie had tongue cancer with late diagnosis and had 2 lymph nodes involved. She did induction chemo and radiation and has had clean ct scans since March 21st. Her tumors in her neck were reduced to normal size after her 1st chemo treatment. We were amazed since they were both swollen to the size of walnuts. At the beginning she was hoping for surgery but her doctor wanted to shrink the tumors before considering any surgery. After that 1st chemo treatment and seeing how fast her tumors shrunk we were both really thrilled with the results. Everyone is different and I am not a doctor but if he had a dramatic response to chemo & radiation treatments, he might not have to have tongue removal surgery. Best Wishes, Homer & Connie
  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #3
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    These are likely
    equivalent treatments in terms of cure. That is honestly the most likley reason for your receiving opinions that differ from glossectomy to radical irradiation. To chose the course or radiation is not wrong. It will likely present some difficulties, especially in the last two weeks of therapy. It is important, having made the choice to proceed with radiation treatment, to complete the entire number of individual treatments prescribed.

    Best regards

    Pat
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #4
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    SASH's BIO
    Jai,

    There is a member here by the name of SASH, he is a 10 year plus survivor that was told that most of his tongue was suppose to come out. He does stop in here once in a while but I haven't seen a post from him in a few weeks. Anyway, I hope he doesn't mind, but I would like to post a link to his Bio on this site. He did the Chemo and Radiation first and then had the surgery. It ended up the Surgeon didn't have to take as much of his tongue as first thought.

    SASH is very helpful with many of the replies, so again, I hope he doesn't mind me posting this -

    ttp://csn.cancer.org/user/67608

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • jai
    jai Member Posts: 5
    #5
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    connieprice1 said:

    Hello Jai, Really sorry to
    Hello Jai, Really sorry to hear the bad news but you have found a great discussion board for advice. I am not clear as to how big the tumor is on your brother in law's tongue or whether his cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. My wife Connie had tongue cancer with late diagnosis and had 2 lymph nodes involved. She did induction chemo and radiation and has had clean ct scans since March 21st. Her tumors in her neck were reduced to normal size after her 1st chemo treatment. We were amazed since they were both swollen to the size of walnuts. At the beginning she was hoping for surgery but her doctor wanted to shrink the tumors before considering any surgery. After that 1st chemo treatment and seeing how fast her tumors shrunk we were both really thrilled with the results. Everyone is different and I am not a doctor but if he had a dramatic response to chemo & radiation treatments, he might not have to have tongue removal surgery. Best Wishes, Homer & Connie

    Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer
    Hi Homer & Connie

    Thanks for the response. The Last scan done on November 2011 does not show any spread of the disease to the Lymph Nodes. To Update you on the change of events that took place since I wrote my first post - We consulted the Doctor once again to re-confirm his stand on not proceeding with the surgery and why he chooses so. He is insisting on Radio combined with Chemo for reasons of spread of the disease. We eventually, decided to go along with his decision as it is best to follow a Single advice. Brother in Law is continuing with Treatment. I Once again thank you for the response and wish you and your wife a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Wishing her the best for a faster recovery.

    Thanks

    Jai
  • jai
    jai Member Posts: 5
    #6
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    longtermsurvivor said:

    These are likely
    equivalent treatments in terms of cure. That is honestly the most likley reason for your receiving opinions that differ from glossectomy to radical irradiation. To chose the course or radiation is not wrong. It will likely present some difficulties, especially in the last two weeks of therapy. It is important, having made the choice to proceed with radiation treatment, to complete the entire number of individual treatments prescribed.

    Best regards

    Pat

    Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer
    Thanks Pat,

    BI Law is advised to undergo 33 Days of Radiation. Doctors have told that we will have to wait until the 10th Day to get a feedback and he is only in his 6th days as on date. Yes, he is having difficulties in Speaking and taking food now and is in PEG. We are hoping for the best on his recovery.

    Regards

    Jai
  • jai
    jai Member Posts: 5
    #7
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    MarineE5 said:

    SASH's BIO
    Jai,

    There is a member here by the name of SASH, he is a 10 year plus survivor that was told that most of his tongue was suppose to come out. He does stop in here once in a while but I haven't seen a post from him in a few weeks. Anyway, I hope he doesn't mind, but I would like to post a link to his Bio on this site. He did the Chemo and Radiation first and then had the surgery. It ended up the Surgeon didn't have to take as much of his tongue as first thought.

    SASH is very helpful with many of the replies, so again, I hope he doesn't mind me posting this -

    ttp://csn.cancer.org/user/67608

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer
    Thank you Marine,

    I did go through Sashs Page. It is really encouraging. Praying that some thing similar happens in my Brothers case as well.

    Thanking you once again.

    Regards

    Jai
  • jai
    jai Member Posts: 5
    #8
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    jai said:

    Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer
    Hi Homer & Connie

    Thanks for the response. The Last scan done on November 2011 does not show any spread of the disease to the Lymph Nodes. To Update you on the change of events that took place since I wrote my first post - We consulted the Doctor once again to re-confirm his stand on not proceeding with the surgery and why he chooses so. He is insisting on Radio combined with Chemo for reasons of spread of the disease. We eventually, decided to go along with his decision as it is best to follow a Single advice. Brother in Law is continuing with Treatment. I Once again thank you for the response and wish you and your wife a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Wishing her the best for a faster recovery.

    Thanks

    Jai

    Further Course of Action
    After completing 33 doses of Radiation mixed with with 2 courses of Chemotherapy, doctors now say that Brother in law is doing better and that the lesion has shrunk remarkably. In the due course of the Treatment, he has developed speaking Disabilities and is taking food using a Inserted TUG. He has also developed scar around his neck as an effect of the Radiation undergone.Doctors are now asking us to wait for another 1 Month for a repeated Scan.
    Can anyone say what could be the possible future course of action doctors may look upon.

    Jai
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #9
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    jai said:

    Further Course of Action
    After completing 33 doses of Radiation mixed with with 2 courses of Chemotherapy, doctors now say that Brother in law is doing better and that the lesion has shrunk remarkably. In the due course of the Treatment, he has developed speaking Disabilities and is taking food using a Inserted TUG. He has also developed scar around his neck as an effect of the Radiation undergone.Doctors are now asking us to wait for another 1 Month for a repeated Scan.
    Can anyone say what could be the possible future course of action doctors may look upon.

    Jai

    Only a guess on my part
    Jai,

    I would again lean towards what SASH went thru and think that the Doctors will do the follow up Scan to see if there is any growth in the lesion. If no growth, they may decide to remove lesion, and try to spare as much of the tongue as possible. They may decide to not operate at all. That was one of the options the Surgeon gave me, but I wanted the tumor out of me which was at the base of my tongue. He removed over 1/3 of my tongue.

    Yes, your brother-in-law is having trouble speaking as the radiation does that to us. I could barely speak above a whisper and had trouble forming words. I am sure he has sores in his mouth and throat as well. As time passes, his speech should improve.

    My Best to Both of You and Everyone Here
  • dalapathys
    dalapathys Member Posts: 20
    #10
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    jai said:

    Treatment Dilemma for Tongue Cancer
    Thank you Marine,

    I did go through Sashs Page. It is really encouraging. Praying that some thing similar happens in my Brothers case as well.

    Thanking you once again.

    Regards

    Jai

    Info
    Jai,

    Warm Greetings. I am from Chennai and my cousin is diagnosed with well differentiated tongue cancer in Vellor CMC last week. They are saying its a small lump and can be removed by surgery. how is your brother in law now. Is he undergoing radiation treatment? How he is feeling now..

    Regards
    Sankar

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