Bartender Dan Durant didn’t think an ulcer on the right side of his tongue was anything to worry about.
The 26-year-old from Stafford had them often, so he didn’t think about the lump and treated it with Bonjella when he first saw it in August last year.
“It was a gray and whitish spot, about the size of a penny,” Durant recalls. ‘I didn’t think about it after that. “Mostly I felt like I wasn’t there.”
Only when he sneezed and accidentally bit her did the ulcer become inflamed and he went to see the doctor.
Ultimately, Durant was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of cancer that can affect the skin and skin-like cells that line the inside of the mouth.
Dan Durant, 26, didn’t think an ulcer on the right side of his tongue was cause for concern and simply treated it with Bonjela.
During an 11-hour operation, doctors removed two tumors, removed 50 percent of his tongue and reconstructed it with skin from his left forearm.
During an 11-hour operation, doctors removed two tumors, removed 50 percent of his tongue and reconstructed it with skin from his left forearm.
He also had his neck dissected to remove a cancerous lymph node and is currently awaiting biopsy results which will confirm whether he needs any further treatment.
“The nurse said, ‘You’re lucky you bit your tongue,'” Mr. Durant confessed.
He had also lost a lot of weight and often had a sore throat, but he didn’t realize there was anything to worry about.
But after biting the ulcer and noticing that it did not heal, He went to see his doctor, who suspected it was cancerous and redirected him to Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent.
His cancer diagnosis was confirmed a week later, on August 21, 2024.
Non-healing mouth sores, a hoarse voice, and unexplained lumps in the mouth are warning signs of the disease.
Durant began noticing the ulcer again in April 2024 and months later it became inflamed in August when he accidentally bit it.
Doctors initially hoped to remove only part of his tongue, but after finding a second tumor they were forced to remove half.
He said: “I didn’t think it could be cancer.” Being told that was disturbing. I had a cry. “It was so surreal.”
Data shows that mouth cancer, sometimes called oral cancer, is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. Each year in Britain more than 8,000 people are informed that they have the disease, while in the United States the figure is closer to 55,000.
Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of oral cancer, accounting for nearly 90 percent of cases.
Doctors took skin from his forearm for his tongue and then skin from his stomach to replace the skin on his arm.
After reconstructive surgery, Durant spent eight days in the hospital to make sure there were no complications and he could get used to eating and drinking again with his new tongue.
Squamous cells are found in the tissue that makes up the surface of the skin, such as the inside of the mouth, arms, and legs.
Mouth ulcers (broken areas in the lining of the mouth) that do not heal within three weeks may be a sign of oral cancer. Swellings, lumps, red or white spots, as well as loose teeth, sore throat or difficulty swallowing are also telltale signs of cancer.
On September 12, 2024, Durant underwent an 11 and a half hour operation to remove the tumor.
Doctors initially hoped to remove only part of his tongue, but after finding a second tumor they were forced to remove half.
He also had a cancerous lymph node removed from his neck to perform a biopsy to confirm that the cancer had not spread.
“They took skin from my forearm for my tongue and then the skin from my stomach to replace the skin from my arm,” he said. “They also used the arteries in my forearm and put them on my tongue to get the blood flowing.”
In addition to raising awareness, Durant has organized a fundraiser to help finance his living expenses for the next few months and will donate the remaining money to cancer research.
After reconstructive surgery, Durant spent eight days in the hospital to make sure there were no complications and he could get used to eating and drinking again with his new tongue.
He is now on a soft food diet and is awaiting the results of the lymph node biopsy.
‘Learning to swallow correctly was quite difficult. “I’m getting used to chewing,” he admitted. ‘My jaw hurts a lot. It’s a lot of relearning things,’ he added.
“If there are few or no cancer cells left, I will only receive one round of radiation therapy.”
Durant was about to start a new job when he received his diagnosis and is now unable to work.
In addition to raising awareness, it has created a fundraising to help fund their living costs for the next few months and will donate the remaining money to cancer research.
He said his family and friends have been a “wonderful support network.”
“Everything is normal and suddenly it stops being normal. It’s something that changes your life,” he said.