Hi Everyone , My partner is 6 weeks post radio therapy for cancer of mandible. He has never suffered with dry mouth luckily but only this week after eating he's jaw near he's ear and that area started to swell after eating. He said it felt uncomfortable but not painful as such. He rang the hospital who said go to A & E which he decided not to do as swelling started going down after half an hour. He went to the rt unit to speak to he's nurse but she wasn't there and they said they would get someone to call him back. In the meantime he spoke to GP who said that glands could be damaged through the radio therapy and just to monitor it. It happens everytime he eats but has appointment on Monday. Has anybody else had this happen ? The GP said he might need the glands opened ... is this something that is easily done ?
Sounds like the parotid duct is damaged. The parotid is under his ear and the duct runs over the jaw to open in his cheek at his top molar teeth. The gland empties saliva when he eats so that’s why it swells then subsided when he stops eating. I would bypass the GP. This needs attention from his surgeon so contact his CNS. Good luck and let us know how he gets on
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hi Dani , thank you for replying as always good to know that this is sort of normal. He had the surgery done at another hospital so is going to ask rt to send him back to head and neck as rt dont seem very helpful. Thank you to everyone on here for all your help and comment it has really helped 
