I can feel all of my deep cervical lymph nodes. One is rock solid right between my ear and jaw. I am seeing an surgeon on wednesday.
I feel like this really is oral cancer, but yes a biopsy should be done to find out. I don't have insurance, so I hope they will work with me to make payments. I wish I could tell you more. I have cried a lot today. I tried to call the oral surgeon to get in earlier and he only does clinic that day.
Does this cancer spread quickly? I am up in arms as I can kind of remember when I started feeling like crap. I thought it was hormones.
I realise that telling myself stories about what I should have done or could have done will do no good. I know that I am really upset at the ENT who felt the node and said "you just have a really skinny neck, and that is your carotid artery." No, it's not my carotid artery, then he felt the other node and said that again, you can feel it because you are so skinny. I don't know why he is still practicing medicine.

For what it's worth, Kevin never had any clue he had cancer. He didn't feel sick at all. This is in reference to your comment of "feeling like crap". All we knew is he had a huge swollen lymph node for a few months and we were getting the run around from all the docs.
Keep in touch!!!
Kathy

Your situation certainly has parallels to mine. I agree with Eric, you should get the FNA. I had no tooth pain, no ear pain, just the big ol' walnut. And then during surgery they found a second smaller infected node which had been too small for me to feel.

Oh and the idea of doing rads after surgery, according to my RO and ENT both, is to kill any microscopic malignancies. They blast the whole field, basically (I know it's more complicated than that and the computer maps the whole thing out during the prep phase of IMRT, but that's how I think of it) and at the end, voila, no more bad cells.

Very often they do concurrent chemo although not in my case. That would be something for your team to evaluate. Assuming you have cancer. Which you don't yet know.

We're here to help. Eric is the best.

I sincerely appreciate and am humbled by your responses.

I am glad you are all here and you have made a difference in my outlook already.

I really look forward to keeping in touch on this un-forseeable journey.

My outlook at this moment is very wishy-washy.

Love to all of you!

An ENT would be a better choice to see rather than an oral surgeon. Most oral surgeons do things like dental implants, wisdom tooth extractions and biopsies. Where and ENT will do biopsies and also be much more experienced (if you choose the right one) with detecting and treating oral cancer. Some ENTS will specialize in putting tubes in childrens ears so make sure you ask before you make and appointment with another ENT who will quickly dismiss your concerns.

I really hope you have nothing seriously wrong! Hoping that the biopsy (yes, insist on having one done) turns out to show the lump is non cancerous.

We are all in your corner and will help you thru everything. Wishy-washy??? NO WAY! I think you are courageous

Best wishes!!!

Thanks Christine! I am so grateful for your response.
Wishy washy just means I have really been imagining some crazy stuff. The surgeon I am seeing was recommended by a doctor who said If I need a biospy, that's who she wants me to see. I looked up his credentials and he does specialize in cancer and is credible. I think he will know what is going on. I am sure that this oral cancer can be beaten. I wish everyone on this planet was as uplifting as you have been.

The difference with seeing an oral surgeon and an ENT is that an oral surgeon can do a biopsy and identify it as cancer or not, for the kind of care and treatment needed if you get a diagnosis of cancer - you must see an ENT - preferably one at a ccc or at least with major experience with oral cancer. So ultimately if you go to an oral surgeon, get a positive dx - then you have to wait for a referral then get an appointment with an ENT anyway. This could take some time - whereas if you are seeing an ENT from the outset, you're already where you need to be. Take care and best of luck with everything.

When the lesion appeared on your lateral side of tongue was it in the back? I have these bumps that a doctor looked at today and said they are taste buds. Ugh. I don't know. I wish I could stop worrying about this, but I am just a worrier when It comes to my health.

Does HPV infect more than one area of the mouth? I read somewhere that it localizes in one area.

Still seeing a surgeon on wednesday and talked to a nurse of an ENT today that specializes in oral cancer.

My tumor was under my tongue -in the back. If its on top it could be swollen taste buds - HPV and non HPV cancers usually have a primary tumor but can spread and invade the area around them. Hopefully everything will be okay.