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i AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE A SMALL TONGUE TUMOR (WHITISH), ...

Sent to Health Experts December 05, 2007 2:54 a.m.

i AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE A SMALL TONGUE TUMOR (WHITISH), POSSIBLE CANCER, REMOVED AT A DOCTORS OFFICE WITHOUT PRIOR BIOPSY AND NO PLANNED RADIATION DURING SURGERY. iF HE GETS IT ALL, IS THIS ALRIGHT? WHAT SHOULD i ASK? SHOULD I SEEK CHANGES?

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Male, Age: 64, New Jersey

Already Tried:
HAD A SIMILAR PREVIOUS LUMP REMOVED A YEAR AGO,BENIGN. DONE NOTHING TO THIS NOEN BUT IT DID BLEED SON TEO DAYS AGO, i'M SLATED FOR DAY AFTER TOMORROW.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $15

Answer
December 05, 2007 4:23 a.m. (1 hour and 29 minutes later)

REPLIED

Customer (name blocked for privacy),

If the doctor excises the tumor, the pathology report will indicate whether all of it was removed. The pathologist looks at the margins (edges) and looks for healthy tissue indicating the tumor is all gone, and analyzes the tumor for type (cancer or not).

The pathology report will indicate whether further treatment is needed.

thanks

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Reply to Andy R
Sent December 05, 2007 7:35 a.m. (3 hours and 12 minutes later)

MY CONCERN, IN MY QUESTION, IS PERTAINING TO IF CANCER CELLS COULD ESCAPE CONSIDERING THAT NO FORM OF RADIATION IS SET TO BE USED DURING SURGERY, IT'S TO BE DONE AT A DOCTORS FACILITY RATHER THAN HOSPITAL AND NO PRIOR BIOPSY IS TAKEN. IS THIS ALL OKAY?

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Reply
Sent December 05, 2007 12:14 p.m. (4 hours and 38 minutes later)

If the entire small tumor on my tongue is
      removed, if it is malignant, will I need
      chemo or radiation- if he gets it all out?
                                      thanks

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Answer
December 05, 2007 2:48 p.m. (2 hours and 34 minutes later)

ACCEPTED

The previous expert is offline. Assuming it is malignant and a squamous cell carcinoma (the most common malignant tumor of the tongue): If you have a small tumor with clear margins (the tumor is completely removed), it is up to you and your oncologist and/or ENT how you want to proceed. The possibilities are: observation (do nothing besides surgery), radiation therapy (which can be given after your surgery) or a neck dissection (surgery to look for cancer spread). With tongue cancers, the rate of spread is fairly high (about 6% even with very early tumors) which is why a neck dissection is reasonable but observation is an option with clear margins and no evidence of spread (enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, etc). Chemotherapy is not a first line option since these tumors are usually fairly resistant to chemo. That being said, it may not even be malignant. If it is, you and your doctors will have to find out the best course for you since there are no firm guidelines for treating early cancers of the tongue. Hope this helps.

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Reply
Sent December 05, 2007 3:26 p.m. (37 minutes and 40 seconds later)

Thank you very much. Your answer is for me is excellent.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

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