I had a mouth ulcer for a few months and after visiting my doctor was referred to a consultant. He said that it was unlikely to be anything to worry about but would arrange a biopsy to be on the safe side. This was carried out immediatly

I returned to the consultant on Friday and was shocked (understatement!)to be told it was cancer.

I am now waiting for an MRI scan followed by treatment (surgery or radio therapy). Does anyone have ay idea what sort of timescales I should be expecting for all this?

Hi Mark

sorry you have had to join us but welcome. This is a wonderful site and you will get lots of support here. I'm sorry I can't help with timescales but I am sure someone will be along soon with some advice for you.

Mum

Hello Mark

Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with a mouth cancer. You will find much support here.

The Cancer Plan states that urgent referrals for cancer must be seen within two weeks and most trusts comply with this target. The NHS Cancer Plan, drawn up in 2000, proposed that by 2005 no patient would wait longer than 62 days from urgent GP referral to first treatment, or longer than 31 days from diagnosis to first treatment. The government believes the ultimate goal should be to "offer patients a maximum one month wait from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment. Where patients wait longer, this should be because of the needs of the diagnostic process or their personal choice, not because of in-built delays in the system of care." "we hope to acheive this goal by 2008"

Best wishes

Vinod

Thanks Mum for your support and Vinod for your post.

I must admit I have been impressed with my (limited) experience so far. I was seen by a consultant ten days after visiting my GP. The biopsy was taken the same day. I was given the results three weeks later and had X-rays the same day.

I must admit I am a bit scared about what is to follow. I am not sure it has all sank in yet but at the minute I feel that I am up for the fight

Hi Mark,
Sorry to hear the difficult news for you. I find the thing that is very important at this time for you is to make sure that you ask all the questions that you feel can help you understand your diagnosis and treatment. If you don't get the answer the first time ask again and again until you feel you understand and feel confident with the answer. You are in our thoughts and prayers. And keep positive and your mind active so that you don't become mentally overwhelmed.
Kimberly

Hi Mark, like mum says, sorry you have to join us. The forum is a wealth of knowledge so you're in the right place. Stay positive, Hagg.

hi mark

sorry to hear your news, but try to take comfort that we are all in the same boat! Im fairly new to all this too. As far as time scales go i was diagnosed on 10th March and then had an operation to remove the tumour on my tongue on the 3rd April. Im now waiting for chemo/radiotherapy which starts on the 27th May. I have had my mask fitted and have a number of scans lined up between now and then. Everybody's condition/treatment is slightly different, so try not to worry about that too much. Kimberley's advice is great, keep your mind active, and ask the questions that will help you. Stay positive but also dont be afraid of being scared that is only natural, but focus on each treatment as it comes and get through it, one hurdle at a time i keep telling myself.

Something i was awful for initially was trying to "second guess" everything.... what if this happens?, did he realy mean what he said? , why haven't they mentioned such and such?, i've got a pain somewhere else, i think its spreading!! The time between appointments was usually the worst when i would come up with all these questions and tried to apply the little knowledge i had about the problem and usually came up with wildly wrong and worrying conclusions!! Try not to second guess but remember to ask the doctors about the questions you have come up with...(write them down as they come to you as you wont remember when your appointment arrives!)

that's all i can say at the moment, keep in touch and stay positive!

Thanks all for your support.

I have an MRI scan today so hopefully I will find out exactly how serious it is soon.

I think I have got over the initial shock and will deal with things as they come along. I think the hardest thing was having to tell my wife and mother

I have decided not to tell my children (5 & 8) too much untill I know a bit more. I don't know if this is the right thing to do but I do not want to upset them. I do think they know something is going on.

hi mark

hope the scan goes ok, just stay positive. i agree the hardest part of it all was telling my parents and kids. my children were a little older (11 and 13) and took it very well. They were shocked at first and then asked some questions but after that they were matter of fact about it and have been great since. the macmillan nurses said i should say something to them because "kids have a way of sensing things are not normal". initially i was like you and didnt want to say anything but after that advice i could see the point in letting them know and i think it helped them, because over the following weeks the usual routines were changed and they would have started to ask questions anyway. It actually helped me too because i was holding back this great secret from them and other people had to be careful what they said around them too. Once that barrier was lifted everyone found it easier to cope with. Just my experience but hope it helps in some way.

anyway keep in touch...(are you a leeds utd fan by any chance?)

Hi Mark

Will be thinking of you. My son's two little girls were about your little ones ages when he was diagnosed. They knew daddy wasn't well and that he had to have some treatment to make him better. The youngest the 5 year old was particulary concerned when he went each day for his RT. One day we let her come along and the RT nurse took her and showed her where daddy went for his treatment. Once she had seen where her daddy was going each day she didn't worry anymore. I got two pieces of card and a perforator and made an advent calendar with 33 little doors to open. Put pictures and stickers on the front and inspirational words for my son behind each door. Although he found it a bit daunting in the end he couldn't wait to get home from RT and rip off another door!! Of course the little ones loved to help him do this. Macmillan did show an interest in my idea but I haven't heard anymore yet. So wait and see and play it by ear with them, it's taking the fear out of it for them that is important I think.

Stay strong, stay positive & keep talking to us

Love Mum
x

hi mark and welcome
sorry to hear of your cancer diagnosis it is such a lot to take in all at once i always took my husband along with me to clinics as he would take it all in and ask all the relevant questions.do they have a head and neck specialist nurse at your hospital? everyones cancer and treatment is tailored to them as individuals but you will find on here something that we all have in common and we support each other and care givers as much as we can
big hug bevxx

(are you a leeds utd fan by any chance?)[/quote]
No definately not a Leeds fan - I will be at Wembley this weekend cheering on my team Doncaster Rovers.

Well I had my MRI last night, didn't enjoy that! and have an appointment with my consultant on Friday.

Thanks once again for all the support. I have had a chat with the kids, I didn't tell them too much but at least they have an idea about what is going on

hi mark
sorry that you have had to join this site,but as someone has already said we are all in the same boat,so we will all help you through it as much as we can.i did not like the mri scan either,they said i could take a c.d with me,so i took my favourite neil young one with me,but it got stuck and for the whole hour i had to put up with the stuck c.d and the banging of the mri machine,i was white as a sheet when i came out hubby said and it was all i could do not to burst into tears.good luck with your treatments and please keep us informed of your progress.love shirl xxx

good to hear from you mark, and enjoy the wembley trip! i haven't been to the new wembley yet, as a newcastle fan those sorts of trips are few and far between

good luck with the consultant on friday, i have another Ct scan on friday god knows why or what for but next week sees the start of my RT which is starting to spook me a bit but i'm hanging on in there (not much else i can do!)

Just an update.

Had surgery on Tuesday to remove the tumour from my tongue.

back at home now, tongue a bit swollen but not as bad (or as painful!) as I thought it would be. I will be back at the consultants in a couple of weeks once the removed tissue has been examined.