Two-time tongue cancer survivor: Why I support research at UT MD Anderson
Sometimes, the most meaningful breakthroughs in medicine aren’t about saving your life — they’re about saving your quality of life. That was certainly the case for me when facing my second possible recurrence of tongue cancer in just six years in the spring of 2025.
By then, I’d already undergone two oral surgeries near my home in Pennsylvania. Each one came with its own set of frustrations...
What is dysplasia?
“Dysplasia” is the scientific term for “abnormal cells,” which don’t look the way they’re supposed to under a microscope. These abnormal cells...
Breast cancer survivor, oral cancer caregiver: ‘I’m so grateful now’
My husband, Alex, has survived five different oral cancer diagnoses since 2002. He’s had 90% of his tongue removed and his jawbone reconstructed...
3 pieces of advice from a 5-time oral cancer survivor
The first time I was diagnosed with oral cancer, I was only 26. The wart-like growth on my tongue was pretty small. A biopsy showed it was squamous cell carcinoma, and an oral surgeon successfully removed it near my home in Jacksonville, Florida.
When I developed cancer on my tongue again, 14 years later — and it came back three times in 14 months — I realized things were getting serious. Fortunately, I found my way...
Floor of mouth cancer: Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
The floor of the mouth describes the area underneath your tongue that extends along the margins of your jaw. It’s considered part of the oral...
What is erythroplakia? Symptoms, causes and treatment
Erythroplakia is the scientific term for abnormal red patches that can form inside the mouth. Though not usually cancerous themselves, they...
Cancer of the jaw: 8 things to know
Jaw cancer is a type of oral cancer that can develop in the jawbone or the soft tissue surrounding the jaw. Cancer from other areas of the...
Stage IV oral cancer survivor: How MD Anderson helped me reclaim my faith
As an International Coaching Federation Master Certified Coach, National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching-certified coach and behavioral...
Proton therapy saved my ability to taste during treatment for tongue cancer
For Carlos Morera, the only symptom of oral cancer was a small lump beneath his jaw when shaving.
With a history of cancer, he knew...
What is leukoplakia? Symptoms, risk factors and treatment
Leukoplakia is the scientific name for abnormal white patches that develop inside the mouth. They can be a symptom of oral cancer or a pre-cancerous...