Glossectomy

Hi all

Partner had surgery on Monday to have some of his tongue (50% to a third) removed due to a tumor and replaced with tissue from forearm. He has been told that his speech will be permanently affected. The speech therapist said he should be understandable but will struggle with certain sounds. Just wondered if there was any insight on how bad it might be please. He is very down and I am scared that he will need radiotherapy. 

Thank you

  • Hello branningfan

    I'm sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis and I hope that his recovery from the surgery on Monday is going smoothly so far. 

    It's understandable that you're feeling anxious about how the reconstruction will impact his speech and what other treatments may be recommended for him. 

    Hopefully if we've any members here who have experience with this surgery they will be able to share their stories about how it has impacted their speech. I also wanted to give you the link to the Mouth Cancer Foundation website. As a cancer-specific charity, you may be able to connect with others there who have been through similar journeys. They also have quite a number of shared patient experiences on their website you can read through.  

    I hope that things improve for you both over the coming days and weeks. Keep in touch and let us know how you're coping. 

    Best wishes, 
    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator