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 — as well as a painful recovery period. So, when my local oncologists recommended a third surgery, I balked. 

The idea of losing even more of my tongue felt unbearable. I’d already lost about 15% of it in the first two procedures combined. I wanted to explore other possibilities that would allow me to preserve both my tongue’s function and my current quality of life.  

That’s why I went to UT MD Anderson. It’s also why I’m supporting Dr. Moran Amit’s research there now.

The clinical trial that gave me hope

After conducting extensive research of our own, my husband and I discovered a clinical trial at UT MD Anderson led by Dr. Ann Gillenwater. I didn’t qualify to join that one, but I did qualify for another one led by Dr. Amit. His study was exploring whether immunotherapy injections applied directly to the target sites could control or shrink high-risk precancerous lesions in the oral cavity. 

The clinical trial was available only at UT MD Anderson. So, when I learned that I was eligible to join it, it felt like hope after years of fear. I called immediately to make an appointment.

My first impression of Dr. Amit was how down-to-earth he was. I thought he might be stiff and formal, considering his level of expertise. But he wasn’t that way at all. He makes well-timed jokes, laughs easily and knows how to ease the tension in a room. That lightness never detracts from his intelligence, though. I understood immediately that I was dealing with someone exceptionally smart and highly skilled. 

Dr. Amit was also very reassuring. He was clear that the standard of care for someone in my situation would normally be surgery. But he understood my desire to preserve my tongue for as long as possible. So, he didn’t make any promises he couldn’t keep. I really respected that. 

Why I didn’t want a third oral surgery

Both of my previous oral cancers had been caught very early. So, I was lucky in that only relatively small portions of my tongue had to be removed. Even so, trying to speak or eat during those first few months after each surgery was really painful.  

My tongue had to be stitched to the floor of my mouth during the second procedure. Figuring out how to speak again after that was very difficult. I just couldn’t make certain sounds anymore by touching the roof of my mouth with my tongue.  

My kids were so young then that they didn’t understand why I suddenly couldn’t read aloud to them. They also couldn’t grasp why I wouldn’t share their meals — because I was living on smoothies. I couldn’t even take them to the pool or the park, because I couldn’t speak loudly enough to get their attention if they started doing something dangerous. Those limitations were extremely frustrating. 

Still, it took several conversations with Dr. Amit for me to feel fully comfortable with the clinical trial. I was worried that I might be assigned to the control group, which wouldn’t receive the medication. The turning point came when Dr. Amit said, very clearly, that if he ever felt I was at risk, he would take me off the trial immediately and put me on the appropriate treatment. That’s when I realized that while his research was important, my safety came first. And that made me trust him from the very beginning. 

Side effect of clinical trial: elation

I had two precancerous lesions this time: one on the floor of my mouth and the other on my tongue. Dr. Amit could only treat one of them as part of the clinical trial. He chose the tongue lesion because it was worse.  

I received an injection of nivolumab in my tongue every three weeks for three months, for a total of four cycles. Three months after the final treatment, a biopsy showed the precancerous cells in my tongue were gone. The treatment had worked! I wouldn’t need another surgery. I was elated. 

Helping others face the future with hope

Today, my only remaining challenge is the lesion on the floor of my mouth. It’s improved a little. But it hasn’t gone away completely. A recent biopsy showed the remaining cells are still severely dysplastic, which is worrisome. But Dr. Amit believes this experimental therapy may still be working and having an effect on nearby structures.  

Even so, unless it gets approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), I might not be able to get it again if I need it. That means if additional injections turn out to be the best option for the lesion on the floor of my mouth, I’ll have to drop out of the clinical trial so I can apply for a compassionate use exemption, which may or may not be granted. I really don’t want to do that. Dr. Amit’s study already has so few participants; I don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize his research. 

I truly believe that Dr. Amit’s research could change the standard of care for oral cancer. So, I want to do whatever I can to reduce suffering, preserve quality of life, and help families just like mine to face the future with hope. 

That’s why I’m hosting a charity golf tournament on June 26, 2026, at the Latrobe Country Club near my home in Pennsylvania. Every dollar raised will go directly to UT MD Anderson to support Dr. Amit’s lab. Because the research he’s doing is not just improving my life. I know it can help other patients and families, too. 

Moran Amit, M.D., Ph.D., will present the findings from the clinical trial Jessica is on at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting on April 21, 2026.

Request an appointment at UT MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.