Woman, 62, Reveals How She Endured Years of Painful Mouth Ulcers Before Tongue Cancer Diagnosis

A mother in Scotland is undergoing intensive treatment after years of painful swelling in her mouth ultimately led to a diagnosis of tongue cancer.

Margot Blair, from Dumfries, first noticed white lesions on her tongue in 2022. After a biopsy at the time, she believed there was no serious cause for concern. But over the next two years, her symptoms worsened. Painful mouth ulcers developed, and by May 2025 her tongue had become swollen.

Blair, 62, told BBC Scotland that she was taking so many painkillers to cope that she began to feel physically ill from the medication itself. Despite multiple visits to her dentist, her symptoms persisted, so the retired mom booked an appointment with a private oral maxillofacial consultant.

“When I went to see him, without biopsy, he took one look and diagnosed squamous cell carcinoma,” Blair recalled to BBC Scotland.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, squamous cell carcinoma is “a type of skin cancer caused by an overproduction of squamous cells in your epidermis, the top layer of your skin.”

Following additional tests — including MRI and CT scans and further biopsies — Blair had the initial cancerous area and lymph nodes removed at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

A later pathology report showed that the cancer had spread, and she required a second surgery on her tongue. Blair told BBC Scotland that treatment has changed her taste and her speech, and left her with a five-inch scar on her neck.

”My tongue feels salty all of the time. I have a foul taste in my mouth and even water tastes strange,” she said. “I’m not comfortable on the phone and if I get excited or speak too quickly, I bite my tongue because it’s still very swollen.”

Blair had hoped to avoid six weeks of intensive, targeted radiotherapy, but she has now been scheduled for treatment at the Beatson Cancer Center in Glasgow to improve her chances of survival.

Although she was initially told her cancer was stage one, it has since progressed to stage three.

Speaking about her prognosis, Blair said, “It went from 90% for surviving more than five years, to about 40%–45%.”

Ahead of radiotherapy, four of her molars were removed to lower the risk of complications. She has already lost weight due to difficulty eating and swallowing and hopes she will not need a feeding tube.

Blair doesn’t smoke, keeps her alcohol intake low and exercises at least five times a week, believing these lifestyle choices may support her body as she continues treatment.

Cancer Research UK notes that while the cause of most mouth and oropharyngeal cancers is unknown, smoking and drinking are among the factors that can increase a person’s risk.

Blair now urges others not to ignore persistent symptoms. “If you have something in your mouth like an ulcer for two weeks, three weeks at a maximum, you must seek professional help,” she told BBC Scotland.