Hello to everyone! I am not an oral cancer patient at the moment, but have an ENT appt on Friday due to some nasty growths in my throat going on 9+ weeks. I am 34, female, smoker from 1997-2005, then 2008-present. I first must say that I have been lurking through past posts and if I do have a reason to be here, I couldn't ask for a better group of people. Enormous amounts of info and support! Ok now that I've buttered you up...

As I said I have several growths on my oropharynx and ex-tonsils that are slightly darker pink than their surrounds. Tonsils were removed in 1994? and it looks almost like they are growing back. Two warty looking things on each ex-tonsil (pea-sized) and similar growths on oropharynx wall, but more flat-like and long. Also some clear tiny tiny bumps all over oropharynx and uvula that I am convinced are not spit. Clear tiny blisters? They all showed up 2 weeks before Christmas and have gotten slightly worse since their debut. I had gone to urgent care November 29 for severe shortness of breath and was given albuterol in office and anxiety med. Sort of helped but I've been waking up (about 7 times now) "drowing in my own breath". Very scary. These growths extend up and down oropharynx wall and worry they are down my esophagus. Very irritating feeling and I'm constantly clearing throat. There are also white patches between ex-tonsils and teeth and pain in back right tooth as well as white lines inside cheeks. Saw an internist 3 weeks ago who said he had "no idea" and ordered blood work, failing to screen for hpv even though I asked. He ran strep (neg) and gave me 5 days steroids (no help). He then passed me off to see an ENT and a rheumy; ENT is this Friday. �
I have a history of a few genital warts on anus back in 1999 but they cleared up. Ob-gyn said it was hpv but never said which type. I am convinced this stuff in my mouth is hpv related, but I'm unsure if it is cancer until I have a biopsy. Can these growths present and it NOT be cancer? Is it likely there would be so many if it was cancer? Or is it more likely pre-cancerous? If it is not cancer, how the heck do I get rid of them? I am a straight-shooting person so don't be afraid to give me possibilities. I know none of you can diagnose, however your experiences mean everything to me right now. Any advice is greatly appreciated before I visit the ENT!
Other symptoms (briefly) include: Recent blood work shows I am hla-b27+ (seeing rheumy soon for possible spinal arthritis...a whole 'nother issue incl severe joint pain in back, wrists, ankles, knees etc); elevated hemocrit (44); sudden high blood pressure as of November (146/90...normally 110/70) and pulse is 120-126; sed rate normal. Sore in right nostril that won't heal, perhaps because I keep jabbing at it, though.�
Have had 2 sinus surgeries 2004 (deviated septum and turbinate reduction from past cocaine use...stupid!), 2008 (balloon sinuplasty for frontal sinus infection which then caused nerve damage to nose/right eye). So many more things but I'll stop for now! Thank you. � ��

Hi Dee! Hope you dont need to be here. There could be all kind of different things going on in your throat. Only a biopsy will give you a definitive answer if it is cancerous. You can also ask the sample to be checked for HPV at the same time. There are many different things it could be. None of us are medical professionals and of course we cant help diagnose over the internet. Even if we would see a picture it could be any number of possibilities. Check out the gallery, click on the photos then on diagnosis. This will show you several different things that you would think are cancerous.
OCF gallery
OCF Diagnosis page

Now the speech. QUIT SMOKING! If you have been walking around with a problem for 2 months and still continue to smoke then you are only making things worse. Give your mouth a chance to heal. Tobacco contains numerous chemicals which can cause irritation. I do understand its not easy to quit. I did it cold turkey and if I can I have faith you can too.

Please keep us posted as to how your appointment went. Good luck!

Thank you Christine! I have looked at the photos and didn't find anything showing oropharyngeal pics. Photos I've found via the Internet that look the same have been HPV+ OPCancer, but I'm not going to worry (too much) until I know for sure. The Diagnosis page info you linked to on here is some of the best info I've found online.

I hear you on the smoking and knew I would be scolded Sometime that's what it takes, and to hear it from someone who knows makes it hit even harder. I have definitely cut back from 1 pack to 1/2 pack but it is SO hard. I'm making steps to better my health overall and I will quit soon. I have to. Thank you and I will keep everyone posted for sure.

Dee, if you took a look at my before and after photos you would quit smoking. Do yourself a huge favor and quit. All the treatments in the world wont help you if you have cancer and continue to smoke. Its really not that hard to do if you think of it as life or death. Make a choice and get rid of the cigs for good.

Hi there - Christine pretty much covered everything - so I'll welcome you and tell you I sincerely hope it's not cancer. The symptoms sound very diffuse - as in all over the place - not necessarily a cancer thing, though I imagine there could be a few things goiing on. I definitely hope they get to the bottom of it soon. good luck Friday.

Thank you both for your replies. If anything I hope this scare will encourage me to quit smoking. When most people are diagnosed with oral cancer, is their bloodwork out of whack? As in, elevated sed rate, etc.? I do feel my symptoms are diffuse as Cheryl said but I can't seem to figure out why these growths would appear and stay. Hopefully I'll have an answer soon. Can papillomas from hpv ever be benign and if so would they be considered pre-cancerous? Just some of the questions in my head.
I am going to ask for a biopsy even if the ENT does not think I need one. I hope that doesn't make me look crazy!

Not everyone who is HPV+ will develop cancer. Just like not everyone who has a pre cancerous lesion will end up having it turn cancerous. There is tons of info on the main pages of the Oral Cancer Foundation. I think if you would read the front sections you would learn alot about common problems people have in their mouths that is not cancer and also about the HPV virus.

Hello Dee: I, too, hope you don't have to be here, but welcome anyway. As far as being scolded for smoking, HA. When I smoked, I used to joke about the people who tried to get me to quit making me so nervous I needed a cigarette. That all ended on November 5, 2007. Squamous-cell cancer was found under my right tonsil when I was having a tonsilectomy. That, plus 7 weeks of radiation with 1 day/week chemo did it for me -I would cringe at the thought of smoking. I had been smoking about a pack a day for over 30 years, and my just reward was oral cancer. But, until I got cancer, no amount of nagging would have made me quit. I hope you're a stronger person than I was.
julieann