Baffling outcome

I was referred by my dentist on a 2ww after he saw something suspicious on my tongue, he said it didn’t look like a cancer to him but given my medical history of Stage 4B Hodgkins Lymphoma he wanted it looked at. Ten days later a doctor at the hospital was saying that although it wasn’t presenting as a typical SCC it was very red and incredibly friable and needed to be biopsied. Biopsy was done 4 days later and the results were back in time for the clinic in 10 days. Very early stage 1 very aggressive SCC biopsy proven was the result.

Over the next 2 weeks I had bloods MRI and CT scan and was back in clinic in 3 weeks total. After a discussion with the consultant it was decided that partial glossectomy was the way forward with another biopsy on another red patch no evidence of any spread to lymph nodes so no neck dissection needed unless the histology of the tumour pointed in that direction . They got me booked and 4 days later the surgery happened and after a 1 night stay I was home to recover. I think the majority of the pain I had was due to my very sharp chipped bottom teeth tearing up the bottom of my tongue.

Back in clinic 17 days later and the histology of both the tumour they removed and the biopsy was Squamous Cell Displasia and not carcinoma, obviously delighted but confused.