Hi Im Lyn and welcome. Please go back as soon as possible to your DR and go again and ....get a refferal to at least a Oral surgeon or another ENT guy ...or as a last resort...go to a good cancer centre at any big hospital near you and they will do all the necesarry tests that will more than likely ease your mind. The one thing I did wrong (apart from smoke) was wait too long listening to Drs telling me I had everything from an ulcer to thrush without giving me any blood tests or biopsies or referrals to experts. I was so silly and naive as i didnt know how cancer was diagnosed...I thought (like you) that people could just take a quick peep at it and tell you either way. Had I have gone earlier...like one YEAR earlier...I may not have lost as much of my tongue...it may not have even turned into cancer at that stage as then, it looked like (yet another diagnosis from the drs) leukoplakia and I was convinced I then had cancer. Then I got too scared to go. SILLY ME!! Once you make that big step (take your Mum or a friend or someone to hold your hand) you will see...the drs there are different and will make you feel sooo much better and lift that weight off your young shoulders (Im 46) and then IF it is cancer...they will deal with it (its not a death sentance anymore you know) ...then the lovely wise people here will all help you deal with the emotional side while the experts heal your body (if thats at all necessary)! One thing I was told was in my favour was "you are YOUNG" HEY you are only 20! If I am young what does that make you? an embryo? haha! GO as soon as possible...and dont worry...remember that "dis"-ease means "not-ease"...maybe thats where the word originated from coz it sure makes sense, huh?...stress causes more sickness than anything....I wish you well and will sneak a Prayer in for you tonight....(I will be praying for you to get a kind dr who will make sure you are diagnosed properly...not for a cancer cure...as you most likely havent even got it!!) I hope you havent Love Lyn XXXX