Hi Neil I finished treatment for stage 4 tongue cancer in May ..... not going to lie the treatment is brutal if like me you have the 6 weeks Max radiotherapy. I started not to feel myself in the middle of treatment and didn't start to feel remotely better until 16 weeks  after treatment ended and even now I'm a work in progress ... they say it takes 18 months to get to your new  normal , but I continue to do well. I have also been given the all clear from the top of my head to the tips of my toes I have no cancer . I was also worried about lung cancer actually I think we naturally worry because they give us the chest scan as routine . My cancer was caused by the HPV virus. Just try and remember however brutal this treatment maybe it has one of the best outcomes so keep that in mind.also there are some great threads here if you type in throat cancer .. hugs Ginny x x  ps if you want to know anything private message me or ask here . X 

Thanks for your reply, I don't know what stage mine is at yet, it's an ulcer under my tongue, I have an appointment in Manchester next week, so it should become clearer then. I'm expecting a fight with it, and at 45 I feel il get through it, hopefully 

Actually throat cancer ... tongue included aren't actually staged ... the stage in this instance is the size .. it's a bit complicated to explain but it's not stage 4 like other cancers could be , so don't be alarmed if it's a high stage . X x x

ps I'm ten years older than you and got through it ....you have to. X x x you will be ok . X x  

pps ... has it gone into your neck lymph nodes? 

I had a brief break the news appointment today, only facts I know is that it's treatable, theirs gonna be surgery and radiation was mentioned after the surgery, the consultant assured me it was easily removable, but wouldn't be nice. As I said I was prepared for being told I had incurable cancer, so I'm more positive now than I was last night. It's scary though, but I'm determined see it through 

Yes Be positive Neil you will be ok ... x 

Thank you so much, I'm in good spirits, gonna get through it, xx

Of course you will . X 

Hi Again. Well I've seen my surgeon today, he's described my cancer as around T2, he's also said I will need grafts in the bottom of my mouth and maybe a slight bit of tongue removed, he's also wanting to remove the lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. As far as being normal afterwards, he's confident il be able to speak, albeit with some difference. As for scarring I will have a large scar right under my chin, which I'm ok about. Whole thing will require at least a week in hospital, until I can eat something. Alternatively I can opt for just radiation, a 6 week course, with a 50/50 chance of getting rid of it. I may need radiation after the op anyway, not 100% sure what to do yet, but I'm thinking just go with the surgery.

Hi, I have agreed to surgery in principle, but after more research I'm now thinking that radiation will be the course I take, the operation is major and still only might work. I know the radiation is not nice, but they want to remove my lymph nodes when they say theirs no evidence of it being in them. The radiologist gave me 50/50 without surgery, but who knows, my cancer may react better to it than 50/50. Gone through all the options, other peoples stories, and the surgery doesn't seem worth it overall. Neil