Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : June 22, 2021 8:15 AM IST
Persistent ulcerative lesion on tongue could be a sign of tongue cancer.
A 25-year-old female who was unable to eat food and speak properly due to tongue cancer was successfully treated at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road. Tongue cancer is the type of head and neck cancer that starts in the cells of one's tongue leading to tumours or lesions in the tongue, Stage 3 cancer. It could result from tobacco chewing and cigarette smoking. It can spread to lymph glands of the neck. The line of treatment is surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The patient, Sangeeta Kamdar (name changed), would have lost her entire tongue if cancer would not have been detected and treated promptly, said Dr. Sheetal Radia, Consultant Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Oncosurgery, Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road, who headed the treatment of the woman.
The patient with symptoms of ulcerative lesion over tongue underwent surgery partial glossectomy + modified neck dissection+ radial forearm flap reconstruction. She was discharged after 6 days of stay at the hospital. The patient can eat, swallow food, and is able to taste food and speak properly now, the hospital said in a statement.
Tongue Cancer: Symptoms and treatment
Sangeeta, a resident of Mira road, had non healing tongue ulcer because of which she could not eat spicy food or speak properly/slurred speech. Initially, she dismissed all the symptoms by thinking it may be normal, she took medicines from local doctor thinking it's a simple ulcer. When the ulcer was not healing even after a long time, she came to Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, where biopsy report suggested cancer (squamous cancer) and her tongue was saved with prompt treatment.
Sangeeta "I was at home when I noticed non healing ulcers for a long time around 2 months. Initially, I didn't take the symptoms seriously and ignored them. Later, I couldn't eat food as swallowing became difficult and there was a sore throat. I wasn't able to speak and my family members found it difficult to understand what I wanted to convey. I was petrified after the diagnosis of tongue cancer. I wasn't aware of tongue cancer at all. There were many questions and doubts in my mind and wanted to just seek an answer for them. I thought what if I won't be able to speak again? What am I going to do without my tongue? I couldn't imagine my life without a tongue."
A team headed by Dr. Radia at Wockhardt Hospitals gave her a fresh lease of life. Dr. Radia said, "On arrival in OPD the patient was having non healing ulcer. Biopsy was conducted to confirm tongue cancer. The patient was discharged 6th day after surgery. She followed up 3 times with us. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy is going on."
"Reconstruction was done by using forearm flap (Radial forearm flap) [That is skin, muscles and tissues from the left wrist was used for reconstruction]. After reconstruction, patient had good fluent speech near normal. Her cosmoses was maintained as surgery was done from inside mouth, there were no external scar marks on face. Her eating, swallowing, speech, opening closing of mouth all functions were maintained along with cosmoses," she added.
After appropriate treatment at Wockhardt Hospitals, Sangeeta can now speak normally and eat properly. "Do not give up if you suffer from tongue cancer, it is possible to treat it and live a normal life," said Sangeeta.
Prevention of Tongue Cancer
Dr. Radia, who has treated many patients with tongue cancer, said, "Tobacco chewing, smoking or consumption of alcohol in any form should be avoided to prevent tongue and other cancers of head & neck. Oral hygiene, dental hygiene should be maintained, sharp teeth ill-fitting dentures should be addressed by dentist as soon as possible."
