It's absolutely normal to be worked up, though it doesn't do much good. I felt precisely the way you describe, I don't deal well with the unknown. Once I had results and could map out a course of action I was decidely calmer. Hang in there, you are stronger than you think. This is a good place to unload and ask questions though. Come often as you need to and talk yourself calmer. Let us know how it goes.

Thank you... how old are you if you don't mind me asking? I am finding more and more young people being diagnosed with oral cancer. I am back to the suspicions of my original posts... I think it started as HPV in the throat, developed into cancer and possibly is spreading to my lungs. Someone said they hadn't heard of lung cancer without first having lymphatic cancer but isn't it possible I have that and it just wasn't diagnosed...

Back in 2000 I was telling the doctors I felt something in my lymph nodes, a tingling that didn't go away for a long time and a tightness which I still have... I'm not saying I had cancer then, obviously left untreated I'd be dead by now as mentioned before, but I think what I felt was the HPV and now after all these years it's developed into cancer... a major sign of this change being the lesion on my uvula I just had removed... I'm thinking there could be lesions like these all down my throat...

I had a chest x-ray done and the doctor said the results were normal... ok so there's no tumors in my lungs, but something is going on in my chest, I don't think it's stress. Maybe it is my lymphatic system, sometimes the pain travels down my arms to my elbows. Or, on a lighter note, maybe what I have is only HPV running through my lymphatic system, not cancer, and the lesion on my uvula was a wart, and there are skin cell changes happening in my chest and that's why it hurts...

I know I must sound crazy... but really when you think about it doesn't it make sense that this IS HPV and could possibly be cancer. My ENT doc is so sure that it's not, I don't understand why he doesn't see the connection... my tonsils swelled up right at the time acquired genital HPV, I had oral sex with this person..?! He doesn't seem to think anything of it.

... I apologize for the stupid question Sue, if you are 57, the number posted right there next to your name in front of my face.

There aren't any stupid questions...and the 57 is for the year I was born which makes me 51. What you will find, or least what I found, is that the mind is a very powerful influence over lots of things that go on in our bodies. After my diagnosis and until I got to the MDACC and got their exam and a treatment plan, I had more physical symptoms of every type of cancer than you could imagine. I, too, was convinced it had spread to my lungs, my esophagus, and throughout my mouth. Anxiety and an active mind made that happen. I was able to rationalize all my symptoms too. Funny thing was in my conscious mind I was doing everything I could to control the anxiety...but the deep recesses kept it going. Trust in the biopsy results, they are more difficult to dispute and then whatever the outcome, get to a physician with lots of experience with the issue. Feel free to e-mail if you need to vent. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that like me, your additional symptoms will turn out to be a product of an active mind. As to the original issue, I hope it turns out to be minor.

Thank you. I'm going to call the doctor's office as soon as I can tomorrow. He seems so sure it's a benign growth... he said he's right 90 percent of the time, I don't know if he's just being cocky or what... but I guess we'll see. I hope the results are in tomorrow and that they're good ones.

And what's wrong with me that doesn't even say Sue, it says Suess! Like as in Dr. Suess? Sorry, I need to get some sleep or something.

Incidently, I don't think your a bit crazy or maybe we both are, LOL. When are the biopsy results due? Hopefully, you'll help up that average, 90% isn't all THAT good.

Dr. Seuss has the E first...it's what my niece who couldn't say Susan very well called me and I liked it. So, Suess I am. Keep thinking good thoughts...I hope he has your results tomorrow so you can get some peace...well, at least when the baby is sleeping. Congrats on that!

Hang in there buddy. My cancer presented itself through swollen lymph nodes on the side of my neck. This, of course, is after my tonsil metastisized. Your doctors will figure it out for you. A mitake I made was not insisting on seeing an ENT sooner. My primary care physician referred me to a general surgeon who removed a 4 cm node from my neck the turned out to be cancerous. I plan to beat this cancer and am eager to get going.

It would surprise me if you have oral cancer without having swollen lymph nodes in the neck. I will pray for you to have peace in your heart.

There would be no way to "feel" HPV or a lesion that it created. Non ocogenic versions of it that create papillomas (warts) which obviously can be seen and felt. The risk of HPV lies in the fact that it can not be felt by the patient, seen by the doctor or felt through palpation. Also the vast majority of diagnosed oral cancers are found when they are isolated to the mouth and not after they have metastasized to the cervical nodes.