Hi @anybody10, welcome. It's a shock to get the news of cancer. I moved your message to this existing discussion:
- Tongue Cancer: What are my treatment options? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/cancer-under-my-tongue-and-raised-lymph-nodes/

I did this so you can read previous messages of support, hope and healing and connect with other members like @rkaspet @alpaca @newtonguecancer @calenbd @loli @sandralea58 @jem284 and others.

I can imagine that you are really frightened and waiting for the biopsy to get more details is tough. You're not alone.

Hi @anybody10 I am 76 and am still having treatment for head and neck cancer. This time dental reconstruction.
I don't know what the biopsy surgery will consist of. My guess is that it will be quite brief and you will recover well.
Base of tongue cancer is usually treated with chemoradiation - not a nice treatment at all - about 7 weeks duration. But it shouldn't affect your speech.
My tip would be to have a thoughtful discussion with your medical team after the biopsy about treatment options and your fear about your ability to handle harsh treatment.
So understandable to be frightened. And having to wait until January is awful. Eat and drink as much as you can before your treatment. Eat things you enjoy. It's hard to eat during treatment. Wishing you well.

My husband is just finishing his last radiation treatment tomorrow. (35 in total over 6 weeks). SCC HPV+ on right tonsil and base of tongue. It hasn’t been easy, but it is tolerable and you will get through it. There is a lot of good information here and ask many questions to your team of doctors and therapists. The Speech Language Therapist gave him a set of exercises to do before radiation even began. He was diligent in doing them, and he ability to swallow has not been an issue. Taste was the first to go, and after that it was all about texture. He has been eating throughout the treatment, with only a few days where all he could do was water, tea with honey and some Kraft Dinner ..of all things. Boost powder in whole milk was also a favourite. Smoothies in the morning. And the Magic Mouthwash, tylenol every 6 hours. He was given steroids temporarily to bring down the swelling to help him through, and they really helped. He has lost weight, and it wasn’t all roses. I know it’s a shock to hear the C word. We knew in early August what this was and his treatment did not start until November 8. Waiting is not easy for sure. We are so grateful for the team of science driven specialists who work tirelessly for us to live. They won’t let you down! I wish you strength and determination. You got this!