Tongue cancer's Articles Archives
Welcome and Participant Introductions |
Dick Foley:
Hello, and welcome to the American Cancer Society Cancer Survivors Network. I’m your host, Dick Foley. Today I’ll be talking with three survivors of tongue cancer. And, as a cancer survivor myself, I am very pleased to be your host for today’s conversation. We’ll be talking about: watching for signs of recurrence; coping with the long-term effects of treatment; staying informed and being proactive; and finding support.
Our first guest today is Steve. Steve is a 48-year-old survivor from New Jersey. Steve is married and has a 19-year-old daughter. We’re glad to have you with us, Steve.
Steve:
Oh, glad to be here.
Dick Foley:
Now, let me just recap your story a little bit. Your cancer was first spotted by your dentist during a routine exam. The lesion was a whitish area on the side of your tongue that you suspected was a reaction to some recent dental work you had had. After a couple of weeks, the dentist checked you again, and he found that the lesion was still there, and he referred you at this point to an oral surgeon. The surgeon listened to your story, without mentioning the possibility of cancer, and did a biopsy. The results showed that you had a stage I (maybe bordering on stage II) squamous cell carcinoma. You underwent a single five-day round of chemo with 5FU. Three weeks later you underwent surgery in which part of your tongue and several lymph nodes in your neck were removed. You had a tracheotomy for six days. You are now considered cured, and you’ve had check-ups every four months. We’re delighted that you would join us today, Steve, and share your story with us.
Steve:
Well, that sound’s like my story all right. …read the rest of this entry»
