How common is oral cancer in young people?
I'm an 19 year old college student. I was at a sports physical when the physician told me she saw what looked like HPV warts on my tonsils a few weeks ago. She referred me to an ENT who I visit on Tuesday... I now have a swollen lymph node under my jaw and a sore throat. I'm really panicked.
I've never touched tobacco but I've had multiple sex partners over the past two years- I may be overreacting, but I know this isn't normal. I'm never sick, and have never had a swollen lymph node before. My dental health is perfect. Does this sound like it could be something else?

Well it's impossible for you not to worry - our minds are funny that way. I would, however, advise you not to jump to any conclusions until you have seen and spoken with the ENT. We have loads of lymph nodes throughout our bodies and cancer is not the only thing that could cause them to become swollen. Sometimes our lymph nodes are swollen and we don't even realize it (I mean, it's not like we all regularly spend time feeling our lymph nodes).

I would just say that you try to remain calm - I know it's difficult not to be freaked out but being freaked out isn't going to help you. Keep in mind that your emotional state can affect your health so just try to be patient - difficult as that may seem. Because patience is not my strength, I can tell you that worrying and freaking out isn't going to get you answers any sooner, it just makes the time between now and then feel like torture so rather than torture yourself, just take a few deep breaths and decide to be patient.

I haven't been on this forum long at all but I'm pretty sure that no one here would presume to diagnose you. I think most here would tell you something along the lines of what I have said.

Think positive and let us know what you find out - hopefully it will turn out to be nothing major.

Ryan, welcome to OCF. I would suggest you do your best to remain calm. Getting upset is not at all helpful.

Find an ENT who deals with alot of oral cancer patients. Get a good exam. A swollen lymph node could be from an infection. HPV is something that is a very common disease. For most people it will clear on its own but others it will stick around. That does not mean it will cause you ill health effects. Only a very small percentage of those diagnosed with HPV+ will ever also be diagnosed with oral cancer.

One important tool many young people have available to help prevent ever being diagnosed with the strains of HPV which cause most cancers is to get vaccinated. There are vaccines available for both boys and girls who are under the age of 26. Please get yourself checked out and if you are not HPV+, get the series of shots. It might just save your life one day. It could protect you from having to deal with several HPV+ illnesses.

Hope your throat turns out to be nothing serious. Best wishes!

Best wishes!

Just be proactive. If, and only if, and it probably isn't...but if it is oc, it can be quite aggressive. Just get on it quickly and get a biopsy!!
Please keep in touch.
Kathy

Hi and welcome, in answer to your question, hopefully it's not cancer - it really could be nothing, but sadly you are not too young. Whie there is a certain demographic that makes up a large potion of cancer sufferers anyone can get it - that sad- its probably not!

Good luck, and to get in see a qualified ENT.

She said it looked like? Obviously your mind now starts working over time. Get it checked out and it might be a local infection with tempory swollen Lymph node.
I am 53 but feel 19. You have definitley found the right site for advice.Find out and get it fixed if you have too.
I am maybe 2 weeks a head of you. talk to people even if it turns out to be HPV and Lymph node these are very treatable condtions.