*TONGUE CANCER / NECK DISSECTION JOURNEY**
***TONGUE CANCER / NECK DISSECTION JOURNEY**
Sharing my entire experience from soup to nuts. Hope it helps you all.
Profile:
52 male, never smoked, no tobacco, no alcohol
Jan-April 2026:
Symptoms: non-healing traumatic ulcer due to biting of tongue in the middle of night
-self medication, like oral gels, salt water rinse etc
-avoided oral maxillofacial consultant due to dental phobia and excessive gagging.
End April 2026
Biopsy Diagnosis: Moderately differentiated invasive squamous cell carcinoma" right lateral tongue.
May 2026:
CT, MRI & PET shows no spread to lymph nodes.
Mid June 2026:
Surgery Summary: 15 hours surgery / Between Partial & hemi-glossectomy with reconstruction using submental island flap below chin area) + Neck Dissection removing 45 lymph nodes.
Post Surgery Histopathology Report:-
-Cancer staged: pT1, pN0 / Tumor less or equal to 2cm with depth invasion less or equal to 5mm
-no spread to distance organs or lymph nodes
Foreign objects in Body:-
-Tracheostomy (removed on day 7, post surgery)
-Two drains in neck (removed on day 12, post surgery)
-PEG tube in stomach (to be removed soon)
Hospital stay:
ICU + ward. Total 14 days
First 06 days:-
-Food and medicines through PEG tube
-Excessive saliva drooling 24/7.
-was allowed and able to walk to washroom
-tongue swollen and protruding out of mouth
-entire face was falky, skin peeling and tight
on 7th Day & onwards:-
Speaking clearly but slowly, eating soft to hard food.
-Saliva drooling stopped once started drinking and eating
Current update- July 5th, 2026
-Eating from front and left side as right side has a flap which i still not used to eating but very manageable.
-Taste is normal
-Chewing takes time due to neck stiffness.
-Neck stiffness persists, but can easily rotate head
-Looking up for longer period is not easy and strains my neck but manageable.
-No shoulder pain
-from time to time tiredness and little dizziness sets in but manageable.
-Not used PEG tube since 20 days and soon to be removed. PEG tube discomfort/cramps off and on but soon to be removed now.