Tammy, The reason the Dr. gave me for taking the pet scan was to see if what I have had spread into the lymph nodes or other areas of the body. I will know a lot more on Monday as I sure do have a lot of questions for my Dr. Thank you so much, Angel

Hi David, What I hope for is that when I go to my ENT on monday and have all my questions in order to ask him about, (now having a much more knowledgeable base for beginning questions) is that he gives me straight-up answers. I personally would like to know why or how he can diagnose me without a biopsy? See David, if I hadn't of found this web-site doing some research, I would never have learned all the things you folks have shared with me. And I really appreciate it. The Dr. never diagnosed me with HPV so I don't think I have any worries on that. I also have talked with my son about going to the CCC, as I totally agree with you, and so does he. Thanks again for the info. Angel

Can't wait to hear your followup report.

Today went very unnerving. I saw my EMT. He said he had set up my surgery for this Friday and proceeded to explain that he would be removing the left tonsil, get a pathologist to immediately test it to insure it was cancer, but he says he knows it is anyway due to pet scan showing it in lymph nodes,so he would be doing the selective neck dissection and showed me where I would be cut and told me he may not could save the nerve for my shoulder and not the one for my neck or side of face area and afterwards I would start radiation. Well I tried to start asking questions and mentioned I was on blood thinner so to make a long story shorter, he went out and called pathology and the anasteasoligist and came back and said he couldn't do the surgery for 2 weeks and I had to stop my blood thinner and aspirin immediately and that I have the possibility of a risk of a stroke. He said he would contact my vascular surgeon also. He said his nurse would bring me some papers to sign and if I had any questions he would come back in there and answer them. Well, I definately did, and he came back in and said now that he would only be taking out the left tonsil and have it biopsied and he really didn't want to answer any questions as he was basically to busy and behind due to an earlier emergency. But the question I wanted to ask most of all was: If he does remove the tonsil and if it is canser as he says it is, then wouldn't it possibly spread before they do the neck dissection and radiation? Lord I am in a mess. Now I definately got the blues. This Dr. is very wishy washy. I am calling the American Cancer Society tomorrow to see if they can help me. I did get a copy of the Pet Scan and it confims cat scan and says highly suggestive of neoplasm and a few other things. The good thing was it is confined only in the neck areas on left and smaller part on right thyroid gland, but not anywhere else. He still give me a diagnosis without a biopsy.

Robroaster, Thank you for your information the other day and I would like to take you up on calling. I will do that Tuesday and I appreciate it. Angel

Do not let them do a neck dissection, or any surgery for that matter on you, without getting at least one or more second opinions. Get to a CCC now.

Are you, were you a smoker?

yes David, I was a smoker I am sorry to say. I wish I had never knew what a cigarette was. Both my parents smoked but luckily my son doesn't nor does his children. I am very proud of him in many ways.

In answer to your question about it spreading, yes, time is of the essence here but you still should get at least one more opinion before any big surgery (though I think it can wait until after the biopsy). You should be lining up that opinion at a CCC right now.

Radiation and chemotherapy alone can, in some cases, kill tumors and cancer in affected lymph nodes so they are likely to clean up whatever happens between the biopsy and the next step. But do get a second opinion at a CCC. This is really important--you only get one chance to deal with this the right way and having second thoughts afterwards is not what you want.

Nelie

Nelie, Thanks, I have thought and thought over the past week about how to handle this. I have a ENT Dr. who is a bully and doesn't want to listen to me or answer questions. He didn't even know I was on blood thinner and says I am a good candidate for surgery even though I have numerous serous health issues such as the blockage in carotid artery and others, But I have made my mind up that I am not having anything done until I get a biopsy. If I have to end up having surgery, I see no point in making it 2 surgeries taking the tonsil out and then going back and doing a nd. I don't have a ccc in my area.

Angel - are you going to have the ENT dr who you say is a bully and doesn't listen to you, do the biopsy? I really wish you would consider going to Emory for a consult and second opinion. Have you asked your current ENT how many patients he has treated with oral cancer? When I asked the ENT that did my original bx that question, he told me he had "3-4" other patients. Well, believe me I did not want someone touching me that only had that little bit of experience - so I immediately want to a CCC (not Emory, I think I responded to you before that I was lucky to have the ability to go to MD Anderson in Houston, Tx, although I know it's difficult for a lot of people to travel that far)

Any physician that's too busy to answer your questions is not the physician you should be seeing...