Other than a slightly swollen neck I had ZERO indications which I believe is common for HPV+ OC's.

Suzanne

As Leslie pointed out you have been seeing an ENT all along, just using their fancy formal name rather than their colloquial designation. Yes, a simple CT scan is all that is really needed especially for diagnosing ear pain possibilities of cancer tumor. There is a reason why almost every PET scan is usually a combination of both PET and CT. PET scans just measure sugar intake, a highly unreliable diagnostic tool for cancers of the tongue, base of tongue and soft tissues in the oral cavity. The CT scan shows what is really there or not anatomically. If your CT scan is clear then it very improbable that the ear pain is being caused by cancer. An MRI would also be more accurate than any PETScan. It is a very reasonable request to have either a CT or MRI done in light of this symptom. Again, I would bet they will come out clear, but you need and deserve this peace of mind.
Charm

Thanks Charm:) Why can't they just go by ENT's...lol Anywho..I will calling my doc tomorrow and get an order for a CT scan. Then I can put this to rest. As always...I appreciate your input. Leslie...thank you for letting me know that they are the same thing. Someone else may have told me that a while ago but I forgot:)

Happy new year to all:)

Suzanne. I had about 3 Pet Scans and all they did was confuse things with the false positives that came back. You sure did get good responses from our intelligent members. This is the worlds best site for learning and answers. ZGood luck and go for that marriage and kids ..

I was in the same boat as Charm. Ear pain for a year, being told to take alergy meds. Then after I lost my insurance due to a layoff, I get a proper diagnosis. The tumor can put pressure on the nerves and cause the pain. I also knew when the treatments were working when after 5 weeks of Rad the ear pain suddenly went away.

What about during treatment that ear pain suddenly comes back?

Suzanne,
Any knews on aCT scan? Did you get one scheduled?

I had ear pain and for about two months before being diagnosed it felt like my teeth where going to fall out. After the surgery in order to have the tumor removed all the pain went away and it felt like my teeth were fine.

I like how we're all taught that early discovery saves lives yet when we say something or go to the doctor's office we're told to wait or just ignored...go figure.

Tell her you can't deal with the ear pain and that it needs to get resolved asap. And remember, a lot of different things cause ear pain.

Will be thinking of you--good luck.

I ended up getting a needle biopsy right thru the area between my right jaw and ear. Damn it hurt but it was reliable. It came back negative which made me , my ENT and Oncologist all 3 happy.

I agree with Charm and the others above, your life, your decisions. My issues started with an ear ache. It wouldn't go away and I wouldn't stop looking for an answer. Then, all of a sudden I had a sore open up under my tongue and it explained the ear ache. Referred pain from the tumor. Even then brush biopsies showed negative. Not trying to scare you but if a PET scan makes you feel more comfortable then nobody should deny your request.
Best Wishes,
Steve