Waiting for results of tongue biopsy for mum

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Hello just wondered if anyone can share a positive story really , my lovely mum started complaining of a sore throat and ear ache a couple of months ago , we didn’t really think anything of it I said to her that the doctors won’t really do anything for an ear ache thinking it may be a ear nose and throat thing going on … anyway it carried on so I made mum a doctors appointment that day she was referred straight away to hospital she was seen within 4 days … since then things have escalated quite quickly , mum has had an MRI then a CT Scan then only this Thursday she had a biopsy under general anaesthetic , they told her that she has a tumour on the base of her tongue ,,. We can see it right at the back , anyway hospital phoned yesterday asking for her to go for a PET scan on Monday Morning , would they request this if they didn’t think the tumour was cancerous , I’m very close to my mum and we only lost my dad two years ago to pancreatic cancer , he was diagnosed and passed away within 4 months , I’m really scared for my mum and I keep telling her not to worry but I’m very worried … I’m rambling quite a lot now but apart from the PET scan Monday we are waiting for an appointment for all the results of the tests , I don’t know how I’d manage without my mum and now as soon as I think of cancer I just think of death it’s so hard to be positive … thanks everyone 

  • Hi please don’t automatically think death with head   and neck cancers there’s lots of us on here 5 yyears  plus happily living our life’s. Base  if tongue cancer like mine which was tonsil cancer is often caused by the hpv  virus which as a 90% cure rate. I was 61 when  diagnosed now 67 happily living my life. Treatment is hard recovery can be long but am sure with you by her side if your mum does join us she’ll have help. I had a pet ct scan but I had already been told it was cancer the scan confirmed it along with lymph node spread which isn’t uncommon. I had 7 lymph nodes by time of my pet ct scan. Best advise stay  off dr google stick with us on here. 
    Sorry to hear about your dad I’ve just lost a close friend to pancreatic cancer.  
    hugs 
    Hazel x

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

  • I have read your whole blog Heart️ my mum has been through an awful lot she had been a heavy drinker for many years , she nearly left me 2 years ago aswell with advanced liver disease but she came out the other side , I do worry that mum won’t be able to cope with treatments they may offer her - that’s if we get told it is cancerous , I can’t see it not being …. The waiting is just awful I can’t fault them because her appointments have came through very quickly one after the other but it’s the waiting in between , I am glad to have read how well you are doing it did fill me with some home , mum is 60 this year xx

  • Hi. The treatment is tough I can’t lie. If mum had cancer you'll herd to help her get through it. Fingers x that results don’t take too long. They will need to discuss the results at a mdt. Meeting so when you get appointment take a notebook and pen or as if you can record the consultation. 
    thanks for reading blog 

    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

  • Shirley. I had cancer at the base of my tongue aged 67. I’m writing this five years later. The PET is to see if it has spread anywhere else. I think they already know it’s cancer but hold onto the fact that this type of cancer is curable. 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below 

    https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com 

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

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  • Yes when I was reading your blog I did think gosh I’m not sure my mum would cope , your blog is incredibly helpful and I’m glad I came across it on another thread , I’m sorry to hear of your recent loss too , the hospital said a couple of weeks I’ll be sure to take a notebook as I imagine it will be a lot to take in , I don’t know whether I’m kidding myself into thinking it isn’t going to be cancerous otherwise why would they send her for a PET scan , I’ll come back to this thread again Thankyou for taking the time to reply to me I really appreciate it 

  • Thankyou for replying, I have also read your posts , I think I’ve done so much reading I think I already know deep down but I’ll still cling on to a little bit of hope that it isn’t 

  • Hi As Danivsays the pet ct scan is looking for further spread which usually is lymph nodes. Our type of cancer does have a good sucess rate. If she follows the medical team’s instructions takes her meds has a peg or ng tube for feeds she can get through it. 
    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

  • Thankyou , I will update this blog when we have had the next appointment, feel so scared and worried my mum is in a lot of pain at the moment , I’m worried some of it is my fault because I said to hCry the doctors wouldn’t do anything for an ear ache and a sore throat little did I know she had a tumour Cry I hope we didn’t leave it so late that it may have gone anywhere else …

  • I wouldn’t worry I was in spain in March when we first noticed Larry the lymph node returned home mid May diagnosed 29 May treatment started 14 July. Just keep busy and try not to worry east to say hard to do. Pop on here to rant.
    Hazel  

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

  • Yes when I was reading your blog I did think gosh I’m not sure my mum would cope ,

    Hi again  

    Hazel and I were in our sixties when this cancer hit us. Hazel had seven weeks of RT and I was older than her. We both had a bit of a rough ride but younger people seem to do better. Even in the five years since we both finished treatment techniques have improved, therapy has become more targeted and side effects fewer. 
    So trust your mums team to get her through this the best they can. I’m sure she will. 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below 

    https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com 

    Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge