Post treatment for SCC tongue cancer following 7 weeks radiation

I had chemo in 35 radiation treatments back in 2010. I too had a feeding tube. It took about 2 to 3 months before I was able to get rid of the feeding tube. I too was hospitalized for dehydration as it’s really a job to eat rather than something you look forward to when you have to use a tube. But it took me about three months before I started eating through my mouth again. I know it’s frustrating but you have to give it time before you really know what’s gonna happen. In 2010 the cancer I had was further down my throat. In October 2024, I had a base of tongue tumor removed with robotic surgery, so this was my second bout, fortunately I didn’t need chemo radiation and all my checkup since have been negative. I still had trouble swallowing after that but it got better… Again with time! I’m probably about 95% back to normal, but I have what I call a small divot in the back of my throat where the tumor was removed in I usually get stuff that’ll just kind of sit there, but if I take a drink of water and then it goes down. My suggestion to your husband is, he has to be patient And hope that time brings back the swallowing as it did for me. Godspeed to you both.

@jubilta77
I finished treatment on December 10,2025, a total of 33 treatments.
Am able to eat pretty much everything except soft breads and spicy foods at this time. I honestly feel that doing the exercises I referenced from Stanford University has helped make recovery easier. When I visited the surgeon in Boston last month he was very pleased with my range of neck movement which I guess is something that a lot of people have trouble with. I think doing exercises keeps scar tissue from building up.
Started acupuncture today to help with dry mouth and to help restore balance to my body. Radiation, although a life saver comes with so many side effects that aren’t so nice.
Keep the faith my friend one day at a time.

@albion223 buenos días desdé España, me alegra enormemente qué té vaya estupendamente tú pos operatorio y tratamiento, yo por desgracia no puedo decir lo mismo ya que desdé él primer momento dél tratamiento todo sé me empezó a torcer quizás porque en este país los profesionales del ramo no están a la altura necesario para este tipo dé cáncer pues en ningún momento me aconsejaron si había alguna posibilidades para tratar los posibles efectos dé la radioterapia. He estado en dos ocasiones en un logopeda para el habla y no ha habido ninguna mejora también estuve con un fisioterapeuta qué me daba masajes en la lengua y los maseteros y tampoco hubo mejoría es lo más qué me recomendaron los doctores, así qué a día dé hoy sigo con la fibrosis cicatricial y un trimus importante además dé la dificultad para hablar.
Qué sigas teniendo una buena recuperación y todo té vaya bien.
Con mis mejores deseos recibe un cordial saludo.

@jubilta77
I am sorry to read of your troubles, Lord knows that all of us have been through so much physically, and mentally.
Please continue to have faith and stay positive. I will keep you in my prayers and thoughts.

@albion223 muchísimas gracias por tú apoyo y recomendación, mil gracias dé todo corazón

My husband finally came home from the hospital yesterday and is doing much better although limited to 5 sips of thickened liquid each day and instructed to do his exercises!! Has another swallow study this morning, so hopefully that shows some improvement from the previous one. I think now from watching him that he is afraid to swallow due to fear of aspirating. As long as he does it with the proper technique, he should be okay (I hope). I so appreciate all of the responses here. Everyone's recovery is different, but each story gives me hope and information that I wouldn't know if I didn't post here. I totally enjoyed my free time while he was in the hospital and now this morning as we were hooking up the g-tube, I realized that I certainly didn't miss that part of our lives while he was in the hospital. Now here we are back at it again, 3 times/day. He struggles to do it himself as he doesn't have a thumb on his left hand and has hand tremors in his right. I'm going to work harder with him now to learn how to do it himself because it sounds like he's in it for the long haul. Again - thanks to everyone - I'll keep reading and responding as I hope all of you do.

@sharooni Sounds like you are doing everything you can to support your husband in his recovery. This road really is so very different for this type of cancer. For every step forward there are often steps backwards and improvements are often hard to see. I know it’s hard but try to focus on the small wins. I really like your idea of working with your husband to have him do the tube feedings. We found that doing them 4 times a day worked better for my husband since he has some reflux issues. Smaller feedings helped him. We are also finding Omeprazole is helping to reduce swelling in his esophagus which is improving his ability to swallow.

Take care. You are making a difference.

@hopeblos Thanks for your reply. Today has been a better day for my husband and he is trying hard to figure out to do the tube feedings himself with my assistance. Hopefully one day soon he can at least do one feeding himself so that I don't have to rush home from my own outing/appointment to do it for him. We try to work together, but a lot of it falls on the caregiver which gets difficult sometimes. One step forward, two steps back, we just continue forward. Hugs to you.

It's a long arduous process, but he has to keep trying. It's painful I know, but keep trying, it'll get better soon

My husband is almost 2 months out from radiation/chemo treatment. While he has his struggles with his swallowing, I've noticed that he's become weaker as the days progress, instead of gaining strength. He does spend a lot of time sitting in his recliner chair without much movement other than to take a few laps around the house and/or go to the bathroom and hook up for tube feedings. He is starting outpatient physical therapy this week so hopefully he gets his strength back. I believe he is depressed because he does just sit in the house and watch tv all day and has a lot on his mind. He has a throat scope tomorrow that is worrying both of us as to what it will show. Hopefully it will be entirely different than the last one. I try to engage him in household activities or conversations to no avail. I'm at my wit's end myself as I've become his nurse, not his wife and I'm tired. What more can I do? He needs to help himself! Today we go to speech therapy again so hopefully she feels that things are improving and he can start drinking more. Just wanted to vent! Thanks for listening!