The patient who has undergone surgery will regain his health day by day during his stay in the hospital. He gets rid of excess items in his body, such as drains (the device that removes blood and fluid accumulation in the surgery area), various catheters, tubes and pipes, and tracheotomy cannulas, if any. Once you can talk orally, feed yourself, and breathe through your nose and mouth, discharge comes to the agenda.
With the conclusion of the pathology examinations of the tissues removed during the surgery, the spread of the disease in the mouth and neck and its exact stage will be revealed.
After these data are obtained, the ear, nose and throat and head and neck surgeon; The patient's condition is discussed again in a medical council where the radiologist and nuclear medicine specialist who performs the imaging procedures, the radiotherapist who will apply radiotherapy, and the medical oncologist who will administer chemotherapy.
After the surgery, the decision for additional treatment (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) is usually made in these meetings, depending on the spread of the disease.
If the decision for radiotherapy and chemotherapy has been made, the patient is expected to be able to overcome the difficulties caused by the surgery before the treatment can begin. This period lasts approximately one to two months.
What is the follow-up like after surgery for tongue and oral cancer?
Patients should be followed by the doctor who performed the surgery for about five years after the surgery for tongue cancer. It would be appropriate to come for check-ups every three months in the first year and every six months in the following years. If the patient has also received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, being under the control of a medical oncologist and radiotherapy specialist is a natural part of the process.
What should be done to minimize the possibility of cancer recurrence?
First year is the period when the probability of recurrence of the disease is highest. This possibility gradually decreases over the years. According to a generally accepted view, recurrence of the disease after the fifth year is not considered as a recurrence (coming back), but as the emergence of a new disease in the same or nearby area.
Sometimes, treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not considered complete. Even after it has been applied properly, the disease may return. In other words, if everything that needs to be done has been done completely, the disease will not recur. Unfortunately, it does not reset the possibility of disease, it minimizes it.
The return of the disease should not mean that hope is completely lost. The important thing is to recognize when the disease recurs when it is at a treatable stage and to take the necessary additional precautions. At this point, it becomes important for the patient not to skip regular check-ups and have the requested examinations performed. In addition, after the treatment process, which involves some difficulties and troubles, is completed, it is of great importance for the patient to return to social life, start doing his daily activities, and return to work life if he is working.
Eating natural products without overdoing it, fresh vegetables and fruits in the menu. Having all kinds of food, including healthy food, doing enough physical exercise, spending time on activities that will keep morale and psychological state high, and being together with loved ones are the things that most doctors who deal with the treatment of such diseases recommend to their patients.
Smoking and alcohol use not only play a role in the formation of the disease, but will also be effective in its return. It is mandatory for patients to get rid of these habits, if any. Relatives of patients have a great responsibility in this regard. If the patient cannot get rid of these habits on his own, he should not hesitate to seek help from psychiatrists and psychologists.
Most patients resort to some herbal products after cancer treatments to prevent the recurrence of the disease they fear. The important thing here is to know that these products – especially when used excessively – can cause some serious health problems. For example, some foreign sources state that products such as blackberry extract and a protein obtained from soybeans may be beneficial, but it is also emphasized that there is no definitive medical evidence. In this case, our recommendation is to consume all kinds of vegetables and fruits judiciously, which are natural and, if possible, not exposed to pesticides.
What should be done if tongue and oral cancer recurs?
In case of relapse (recurrence of the disease), it is first investigated whether anything can be done surgically. Patients who have received radiotherapy in the postoperative period may sometimes require additional doses (especially if a long time has passed since radiotherapy). Dyotherapy may be possible. If the patient cannot be operated on again, the importance of additional doses of radiotherapy becomes even greater. Irradiation through brachytherapy (placing small tubes containing radioactive substances called 'implants' around the tumor for a certain period of time) can also be applied as an option in case the disease returns. Additionally, the chemotherapy option remains valid in case of recurrence.
Are there any speech disorders after tongue and oral cancer surgery?
The organ that creates sound is the larynx. The raw sound formed in the larynx turns into letters, words and sentences thanks to our pharynx, palate, tongue and lips. That is, our pharynx, throat and mouth play an important role in the formation of letters and words. It is inevitable that surgeries in these areas will affect speech function. Especially in the postoperative days, the speech function of the patients is seriously affected, especially if a tube is inserted by opening a hole in the windpipe, called tracheotomy.
After the tracheotomy hole in the patient's neck is closed, the patient begins to make sounds easily. After the wounds in his mouth heal, he can pronounce letters and words better and his speech can be understood more easily.
However, for example, in patients with tongue tumors, some letters, in the formation of which the tongue plays an important role, may be less understandable. In this case, the patient may speak in a way that we can describe as a bit 'lisping'. It is very rare that this situation creates a communication problem for the patient and becomes a social obstacle.
After all treatments are completed, most patients have a very understandable speech even on the phone and can be easily recognized by their relatives. Voice and speech therapists can help to cope with the remaining problems.
What is the nutrition like after tongue and oral cancer surgery?
Patients who have undergone tongue cancer surgery can be treated from one day to another, depending on the size of the surgery. – They go for a period of up to two weeks without eating or drinking. During this period, patients sometimes receive the necessary nutrients and fluids with special nutritional fluids intravenously or with the help of a 'nasogastric' tube extending from the nose to the stomach. After the wounds in the neck and mouth heal and After the tracheotomy hole is closed, the patient can start to be fed orally, primarily with liquids and soft foods. After discharge, almost all patients are able to eat all kinds of food prepared at home and enjoy the taste of what they eat.
Is there a taste problem after the treatment of tongue and oral cancer?
Part of the tongue Even if it is removed surgically, the remaining part of the tongue and palate will be sufficient for the entire taste function. Since the patient cannot feed orally in the first days and weeks after the surgery, it will not be possible to taste. However, there will be no problem in his nutrition and taste, especially after his treatments are completed and he is discharged from the hospital.
Patients who will receive post-operative radiotherapy face some more difficult days. Although the long-term side effects of radiotherapy applied with new and high-tech devices have decreased, dry mouth and partial taste disorders may be problems that patients complain about.
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