Test results

Julie met with her doctor this week and received the results from her tongue, salivary gland, and lymph node tests.

The salivary gland and the margin removed around the tumour (extra skin removed from the tongue as a precautionary measure) both came back clear. This means that there is very little chance there are still cancerous cells in Julie's tongue!

Out of the 50 lymph nodes that were removed from the left side of Julie's neck, only one lymph node tested positive for cancer. Since the cancer only spread to one of the lymph nodes, and it was removed, there's a very good chance that all of the cancer is gone. This is very good news - 49/50 lymph nodes were cancer-free and healthy!

Radiation treatment is optional based on Julie's results. It is used as a precautionary measure to help eliminate the recurrence of the cancer, and can reduce the chance of the cancer returning by 5-10%. However, there are many side effects to radiation therapy, including potentially more severe speech issues, stiffness and hardening in the neck, and a chance that the radiation can induce malignancy (ie. cause another type of cancer). This is the biggest concern, especially due to Julie's age. They do not normally have to worry about this as a lot of patients are 65-75 years old and the cancers don't usually develop for 20 years. Since Julie so young, radiation is much greater risk.

Right now, Julie is leaning towards not getting the radiation treatment, but she is planning on meeting with the radiation oncologist in the next week to listen to everything he has to say before making a final decision.

Julie also met briefly with the speech pathologist, and she was pleased at how well Julie was talking. She said the swelling would most likely come down a bit more over the next few months, and gave Julie some exercises to practice several times a day.

Dr. Corsten checked Julie's tongue and confirmed that there is some extra bulk/ skin that he could eventually remove, as they had to use a fairly large piece of skin from Julie's wrist in order to get both the artery and the vein. After 6 months, the new piece of skin on Julie's tongue will be fed by various veins and arteries, so at that point they can surgically remove extra bulk, and Julie's speech will improve even more once the bulk is removed.

Follow-up appointments will include physical exams of Julie's mouth and neck every 3 months for the first year, 4 months for the second year, and 6 months for the third year. Julie will also have to get a CT scan every year to ensure that the cancer has not returned and moved into her lungs.

Overall, Julie is recovering well and her incisions look better day by day. The doctors are very pleased with the progress she has made in such a short period of time.

Thanks to everyone for all of the support on Julie's healing journey!