I was diagnosed with a microscopic tumor on the base of the tongue in July 2003. I elected to have very limited surgery plus Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). All scans have been negative since treatment. I have no disability other than about 20-30% decreased salivation.

Glad to here of a positive outcome. I was diagnosed back in November 08. Had Tumor removed from left side of tongue and neck dissection and 25 lymphnodes removed. I just finished radiation on March 13. I will have my first follow up ct and pet on april 27th. So to here about your story makes me feel so positive.

What great news and what a welcome post. Most who post here do so because of difficulties, not because of successes. There are a few exceptions and I love and welcome them as my lifeline to 'new normal.' Haag always comes to mind - it takes guts to hang around when it would be so easy to dismiss the unpleasant past and move on. To me he's the one who does the volunteer work that we in the US have been asked to do. He has moved on but doesn't forget the rest of us. He humbles me.

I, like you, was diagnosed early on with a small tumor (I don't know the diff between 'small' and 'microscopic') and only had IMRT. Today I'm cancer free.

Tomorrow, April 4th, is my one year anniversary since completing rads. I plan to celebrate this on another thread.

Thanks for your inspiring post - please continue to post when you hit whatever your milestones are. Hang around here long enough and you'll realize how incredibly fortunate you and I are.

I attribute my success to recognizing a problem very early on (that's probably because I'm also a breast cancer survivor and know the importance of early detection) and my insistance in prodding my reluctant primary doc to action. Unfortunately, he's still my primary and I avoid him, asking my oncology docs questions out of their usual realm. I'm a nice woman; they respond. I'm pleased; they're OK with it.

Congrats, Tsquared! I love success stories.

Mimi

PS: Forgot to mention some of the most important people of all - the caregivers. I've been both carer and patient and being the carer was tougher (for me) than being the patient.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mimi McC,

Hi Tsquared

Congrats on making it to the 5 year mark! I'm almost there (50 months today!). Welcome! Welcome!

I had stage 2 squamous cell on the left side of my tongue. After a hemiglossectomy, resection and modified neck dissection, I was told that RT and chemo were not warranted. Yay!

Julia