Oral Cancer

How do I care for a grumpy partner with throat cancer?

Hi, I'm Tammy and the caregiver for my husband Mike. He was just diagnosed with throat cancer. It encapsulates the tonsils and lymph nodes. Having a biopsy on Friday. Then oncologist appointment. Chemo and radiation scares me. He is not a good sick person! He gets very grumpy and mean. So I came here for support and understanding.

How can I find housing assistance while undergoing cancer treatment?

HI there! I'm Robby was diagnosed with mouth cancer squamous cell carsinoma not yet know what stage until I see a oncologist on August 14th I'm about to be homeless because with all the doctor appointments it's becoming difficult to work any ideas from you guys to find a place to help with housing while going to all the appointments?

How do people live without a voice box after laryngectomy?

Just dx with throat cancer and they want to do remove my voice box Chemo and radiation scared to death havnt seen a person with a laryngectomy. In years

How to deal with cancer-related insomnia and sleep problems?

Has anyone had sleep issues?I am having serious insomnia and when I do call asleep I wake up in 3 hours every time then can't get back to sleep. Any suggestions

How long does throat dryness last after cancer treatment?

One month out from treatment and my throat and dry mouth is worse than it's ever been.

How do you cope with altered taste after cancer treatment?

So here I am again. Still cancer free supposedly. The living with the altered taste and sensation is almost as bad as having the cancer was

What is recovery like after tongue cancer surgery and treatment?

Hi everyone. I am a 4x cancer survivor: Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (radiation, chin to pelvis at age 22); Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (two rounds of chemo at age 33); Breast Cancer (bilateral mastectomy & 5 years Tamoxifen at age 40); avoided Thyroid cancer by pre-emptively removing it when a nodule was growing at age of 44); Plus, 2 extensive DVTs and surgeries in the last two years. And now Tongue cancer at age 58! While waiting to see the ENT, and now waiting for surgery, the lesion on the underside of my tongue has grown and is encroaching the top of my tongue. I have asked for an urgent referral to UTSW for my surgery and treatment. I’m in waiting limbo and it’s driving me crazy. The growth in 8 days was significant and it scared me. Anyone want to explain recovery after tongue surgery? If reconstruction is needed, is it standard to take skin from the forearm? Can they take it from somewhere else so it’s not so obvious? I’ve read some people have to have a feeding tube—what is that like? How soon does radiation and/or chemo start? How soon did you return to work, or were you unable to work? I’m struggling because I need to process what is about to happen. I just came out of a 2 1/2 to 3 year ordeal of treatment resistant depression. And BAM! Let’s add to the misery! I’m a Christian and have leaned on my faith to get me through. I know God has a reason for everything, but I just don’t understand cancer happening again! Anyway, I’d appreciate any insights thst might help me get through this! Thanks!

How do I stay positive when cancer survival statistics seem scary?

I’m just going to say this! I’ve read about everything you can read about cancer and have figured out everyone’s is different! My wife’s sister had liver removed/ replaced they told her 7 years tops to live! She died 19 years later! Don’t always believe the estimates they are just basic! When I read with my diagnoses that 5 years 62to 65 percent were still alive I thought about that? Shit that’s better odds than a coin flip! I’ll take it! Wake up everyday thank god for the privilege of being alive and do your best! I’m 63 and surprisingly am still alive ! I am planing for 85! Be happy treat your family well!

Why don't cancer doctors tell you all the side effects before chemo starts?

My rant / Bitching for this month. Back on chemotherapy and feeling like crap not from the cancer but the treatment. My gripe with oncology is every day is like a jack in the box, you don’t know what is jumping out at you until it does and nothing close to being fun. So the first time I had chemotherapy I also was being microwaved radiation never told me all the crap I could expect until I was done by then I had already been kicked in the jewels by everything that was a possible side effect and never told about all the crap was or could be coming for a year and it was almost 2 years of changes but not told until it was happening. Oncology is the same I asked what to expect and was told I may loose hair, feel weak, have nausea, first run of chemo felt like shit and at the same time was so out of it. I had no idea where I was who I was I’d couldn’t give a crap. If not for my wife I would be dead as I was ready to drive 3 hrs a day to get treatment and there was no way I should be driving at all. Now the new round of chemo all kinds of stuff and if I question what I should do I’m told probability is caused by chemo. So my question is if they know all this stuff why is it not just printed in a big ass book titled CANCER why it sucks and what to expect. It’s not like I / we didn’t ask what to expect. Any patient should be told before it starts.

What are the long-term effects after surviving chemo complications?

In July of 2023, a biopsy of a swelling in my neck revealed that I had cancer. After returning home from a vacation that couldn’t be canceled I started chemo in mid-October 2023 and my first session went well - no bad reactions from the drugs. However, on 27 October 23, and as I got ready for bed, I coughed - and a huge glob of blood landed on the bed. From there, things were hazy for me and I have few memories past hearing an EMT talking to me and, later, someone asking about my blood type. I lost three weeks of my life; I learned that I had died twice, once from near-total blood loss and then because of hypoxia and only blood and a tracheostomy saved me from a permanent death. I still think the chemo made the tumor disintegrate. I learned that I had an HPV-related cancer. I am into my third year of post-cancer checkups and I remain cancer free but with lingering effects from both chemo and radiation.