Hello Expat. I hope you went out today and spent time with your friends from work,   I just want to say that i am recovering from tongue cancer I am not or never have been a drinker or smoker so when " they say" it is a smoker/drinkers cancer they are wrong...I was told that i was in the wrong catagory didnt tick the boxes so we will send for you again in 10 to 12 weeks but absolutly nothing to worry about returned 12 weeks later had an understudy take a biopsy  by this time i had earache as well told no nothing to do with tougne go see your doctor again about your ear its nothing to do with your tongue and again you have nothing to worry about this is NOT cancer we will have results in 3 weeks time. returned to be told we will take another biopsy as we didnt take enough so another one taken.. returned 3 weeks later no its not cancer but it could turn nasty if not treated  we will bring you back and remove it my husband said no  she has been through enough and the earache every day my wife has been coming to you since May it is now September Oh that long...ok go have a cup of tea come back I will remove it in half an hour. Brought back 3 weeks later to be told sorry it is cancer we will bring you in and operate might have to do skin graft. the point im making here is to be told you dont smoke/drink your not in the right catagory is crazy and the earache was caused by the cancer it is the same nerve from ear to tongue this cancer is more common now than ever I dont mean to frighten you Expat but if you are diagnosed with this remember you will get through it its tough but you will get through it...keep your family and friends close as we all need someone to help us when things get tough...and this chatline is a great help too...god bless D.

Hello DeeMc.  I did indeed to go the pub with my friends, but I stuck to a pint of coke rather than beer.  Thank You for sharing your experience and am so sorry for what you have gone through.  Naturally before my biopsy, I knew nothing about tongue cancer or any oral cancer for that matter.  It is sad to hear so many stories like yours of where this has happened to healthy people and sounds as if it should have been identified earlier.  I am fortuante in that my dentist identified the white spots on my tongue and asked me to come back in a couple of weeks if the spots did not disappear.  They did not so she decided to refer me to a specialist.  If my dentist hadn't seen the spots and become concerned about them, I probably would not have noticied or given it another thought as I don't have any other symptoms.  No pain, no discomfort.  Nothing other than these white spots/patches.  I am hoping that its just leukoplakia and not cancerous, but it is also good to hear others' stories and know that if the worst does come from my biopsy results that it will be treatable and will get through it.  Thanks again for sharing.

Many Thanks.

Hello DeeMc.  I did indeed to go the pub with my friends, but I stuck to a pint of coke rather than beer.  Thank You for sharing your experience and am so sorry for what you have gone through.  Naturally before my biopsy, I knew nothing about tongue cancer or any oral cancer for that matter.  It is sad to hear so many stories like yours of where this has happened to healthy people and sounds as if it should have been identified earlier.  I am fortuante in that my dentist identified the white spots on my tongue and asked me to come back in a couple of weeks if the spots did not disappear.  They did not so she decided to refer me to a specialist.  If my dentist hadn't seen the spots and become concerned about them, I probably would not have noticied or given it another thought as I don't have any other symptoms.  No pain, no discomfort.  Nothing other than these white spots/patches.  I am hoping that its just leukoplakia and not cancerous, but it is also good to hear others' stories and know that if the worst does come from my biopsy results that it will be treatable and will get through it.  Thanks again for sharing.

Many Thanks.

Thank you for your kind words stay positive and let us know how you get on as I will be keeping you in my thoughts god bless D.