Donna's Profile

Type of Cancer: Tongue Cancer

Stage of Cancer: Stage 4

Lymph Node Involvement: Yes

Radiation: Radiation Therapy

Chemotherapy: Fluorouracil (5-FU)

What I Hate Most About Cancer: Not only sucks the life out of you, but also your family and loved ones. Reoccurrence is always in the back of my mind due to both chemo and radiation.

What I Have Learned From Cancer: I'm much stronger than I think I am. I am loved.

Has the Cancer Come Back?: NED. going on 20yrs, having said that, I have a whole lotta other issues due to the extensive amount of radiation I received

Tongue Cancer symptoms: Sore under tongue that would not go away. Not painful. Went to three different dentists who were not concerned since I was young and not a drinker or smoker.

Surgery Description, Dates & Side Effects: 1990 - removal of the sore and I was good to go. 1997 - Hemmiglossectomy with donor site from Right arm, Radical neck, healed for a few weeks and then treatment began. Treatment nearly killed me!!

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: For me Chemo was much easier than Radiation. Cisplatin and 5-FU 24/7 for which I was hospitalized. I refused my last chemo treatment because I was too sick, and honestly I thought it would take a lot more than chemo to save me from this beast called cancer. Yet I survived and have for the last 20 years.

Radiation or Proton Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Severe burns. Burn team called in to treat my face and neck. Thick ropey saliva, horrible mouth sores, feeding tube, trachea.