萝莉社

When Rose Sweat鈥檚 dentist found an unusual growth on her tongue, he referred her to a specialist to have it checked. A biopsy revealed the lump was benign and it was removed. Sweat was relieved and resumed her daily life with little thought about the procedure.

A decade later, at a routine teeth cleaning, Sweat mentioned she had been experiencing significant pain in the same area, but this time in the form of a blister. After a comprehensive exam, Sweat was referred to 萝莉社 Jacksonville, where her case was reviewed by Rui Fernandes, MD, a surgeon with 萝莉社 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Dr. Fernandes serves as the chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery, and co-director of the 萝莉社 Skull Base Surgery Program. He specializes in head and neck cancer, oral cancer, salivary gland pathology, jaw tumors, microvascular reconstructive surgery, and thyroid and parathyroid surgery. Fernandes has years of experience dealing with oral cancers and quickly realized Sweat鈥檚 issue needed immediate attention. A biopsy revealed the tumor was cancerous and a plan of action was quickly set in place.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 believe it was happening again,鈥� Sweat recalled. 鈥淚 was very nervous, but Dr. Fernandes put me at ease and my surgery only took a few hours. I went home that night!鈥�

Removing Rose鈥檚 Cancer

Although Sweat鈥檚 oral surgery was completed in a very short time, her full treatment was far from concluded.

The total removal of the cancerous cells is vitally important in treating cancer. In most cases, surgery is able to eliminate a majority of harmful cells but some will often remain at a level, that in time, will regenerate and continue to multiply. For this reason, surgery will regularly be followed up with additional treatments aimed at removing cells that may have broken away from the tumor.

The two most common subsequent treatments, chemotherapy and traditional radiation therapy, can be long and taxing on a patient鈥檚 already weakened body. These therapies use a 鈥渟hotgun鈥� effect to attack cancer and can expose large portions of the body to toxins which can also attack healthy cells. In addition, these aggressive treatments can have long-term side effects on a patient鈥檚 body, such as organ, tissue and nerve damage, hearing loss, anemia and even secondary cancers.

For this reason, whenever appropriate and available, doctors prefer to use proton therapy, a newer and lesser-known treatment.

Proton Radiation Therapy

Proton therapy is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses protons rather than traditional X-rays. It targets tumors and cancer cells more precisely. This means less damage to surrounding tissue, which may lower the risk of side effects and result in a better quality of life during and after cancer treatment. The precise targeting of cells means physicians can deliver higher doses of proton radiation to cancer sites, and an increased dose of proton radiation can improve the chances for a successful outcome.

Although highly effective, proton therapy is a relatively new medical treatment and not widely available throughout the U.S. and Europe. Fortunately, for Rose Sweat, 萝莉社 has been at the forefront of proton therapy since 2006 when it opened 萝莉社 Proton Therapy Institute in Jacksonville.

With the surgery portion of her treatment completed, Sweat was immediately referred to proton therapy and placed under the care of Roi Dagan, MD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Florida College of Medicine 鈥� Jacksonville. Dagan is the physician lead for the head and neck program and the ocular tumor program, and he also treats brain and spine tumors at the . Dagan and his team of nurses, therapists, technicians and medical staff treat approximately 120 oral cancer patients each year. This high volume of experience is one of the keys to successfully treating such difficult cases.

鈥淗ead and neck and oral cancers are typically difficult to treat,鈥� Dagan said. 鈥淏ut we have an amazing team of specialists from around the world, each highly educated and incredibly experienced when it comes to rare oral cancers like Sweat鈥檚 case. A lot of people work together in Jacksonville to treat each patient as an individual. Patients are constantly monitored, evaluated and tested during their time with us, and we use that information to stay course or change direction as needed.鈥�

Rose鈥檚 Remission from Cancer

After six weeks of treatment, Sweat responded exceptionally well to proton therapy. Aside from a rash and muted ability to taste, her recovery was relatively quick and uneventful. Although she did receive a partial amputation of her tongue, prior to proton therapy, she is grateful her condition and treatment were less consequential than most patients in her situation, and she credits her doctors and the staff at the 萝莉社 Proton Therapy Institute with her success.

鈥淢y experience was not easy,鈥� recalled Sweat. 鈥淏ut from what I understand, oral cancers never are and mine case could have been much worse. I鈥檓 so lucky Fernandes and Dagan鈥檚 teams are so experienced and organized. They worked together from beginning to end and the whole affair felt seamless. I hope this is the last time I have to go through this, but if I鈥檓 faced with it again, I couldn鈥檛 imagine there is a better team out there to have in my corner.鈥�

To learn more about oral cancer and treatment options visit: /conditions-and-treatments/oral-cancer