Tongue cancer - surgery and radiotherapy

Hi Mic7  

welcome to our small community sorry you find yourself here but we aim to help  

what the radiotherapy will do is mop up any tiny cells that may have been left behind especially if the trans not managed to get clear margins. I had chemo radiotherapy as I had spread to lymph nodes as well. I am now almost 3 years post treatment and living life to the fullest. Treatment is hard but if I can do it anyone can. Of course choice is yours but I know what I would  do is take the advise.  I gave a blog detailed below with links to others if it helps. I was 61 when diagnosed. Are you h p v positive do you know ? 
hazel x

Thank you for sharing this.  I will have a look at your blog.  It’s great that you’re ‘living life to the full’, 3 years post-treatment,  This is encouraging.

I have no idea if I am HPV positive.  I hadn’t even thought about that.

Thanks again for taking the time to comment.

Hi mjc

I would ask your oncologist what the % chances of recurrence are then decide whether you are prepared to play the waiting game knowing you have radiotherapy as a standby.....you can't have it twice.

I had 6cm cut from my tounge after the biopsy showed 2 areas with cancer. now 4 weeks after the op no cancer and next appointment in 2 months. Whatever they offer discuss with them and follow what they say as they arer the experts.

Hi MJC

I am probably the King of the waiting game currently on the site.  As others have said discuss the detail with your team.  It is a difficult position you find yourself in.  At a personal level I think on the basis of what you have said I would do the radiotherapy.  Where I am at the moment I have rejected radiotherapy as there is no clear evidence for the need for it.  So I am back on watchful waiting

This is the latest stage of my journey...(+) Seconds out! Round 2 - Macmillan Online Community

Thank you for taking the time to comment.

Thank you 

Thank you

We're in a similar position to you, 3 weeks post surgery. My wife had a T3 tumour removed, no flap needed, but she had a full neck dissection with all nodes clear. Margins were all good and clear, but Radiotherapy was advised due to the T3 size. We were disappointed as we'd hoped to avoid the need and are worried about the long term side effects. We decided to go with the advice. At the end of the day it is all about risk and probability. We were told there's around a 30% chance of local recurrence with no further treatment and that RT would halve this risk. The course starts next week.

Thank you my next check is 14th June. Still problem eating as can't use dentures!