Elaine Sawyer, 54, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in February 2024 after discovering an ulcer on her tongue. Initially, she was told by a doctor that she had mouth thrush, but upon seeking a second opinion, she was referred to a specialist ward at Queen Victoria Hospital, where her cancer diagnosis was confirmed.
In April 2024, Sawyer underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove half of her tongue. The removed portion was replaced with tissue and muscle grafted from her leg. Following the operation, she experienced hair growth on her tongue, which was subsequently treated with six weeks of daily radiotherapy. Her lymph glands were also removed due to the cancer's spread into her neck.
Sawyer, a former caterer from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, who had never smoked or consumed alcohol, stated she is unsure of the cause of her diagnosis. She reported difficulties with eating, particularly with meat, salad, spicy foods, and acidic drinks like wine. Talking has also become a challenge when she is tired, and the removal of lymph glands in her neck has compounded her recovery.
Her symptoms initially included extreme exhaustion, which she attributed to chronic fatigue, and a diminished ability to swallow certain foods, along with flu-like symptoms. The misdiagnosis occurred in October 2023, but her intuition prompted her to seek further medical attention in February 2024. This led to her referral to the head and neck ward, where the cancer was identified.
After her surgery, Sawyer remained hospitalized for three weeks before commencing radiotherapy. She described the treatment as "brutal," involving a "cage mask" and gumshield to immobilize her tongue, a process she likened to "something from a horror movie."
Sawyer believes that a decline in regular dental visits may contribute to the rise in mouth cancer cases. Data released in the autumn of 2025 indicated that annual mouth cancer cases in England reached 9,293, a 37% increase over the past decade. Sawyer noted that tongue cancer cases are spiking among younger individuals, though the cause remains unknown. She suggested that insufficient dental check-ups might lead to conditions like mouth cancer going undetected in its early stages, as it can initially resemble a common ulcer.