Antibiotics and steriods for my tonsils don't seem to be helping any of my one-sided symptoms. I have re-discovered a lump under my soft palate not near the midline, but rather on the same side as all my other symptoms. I have another ent appointment scheduled for next week. This time I'm demanding a biopsy. I can't deal with this stress. This lump on the soft palate was palp'd by a dentist months ago and he wasn't concerned but something in my gut is telling me that this is the monster. I've researched alot and nothing else hard and fixed should be there (tori seem to be found exclusively on the midline). I should have pointed this out to the ENT. I think I'm soon going to know what the price of being a chemical abuser for over a decade is. The sad thing is, everyone that loves me is going to have to pay it.

Get another ENT, for a second opinion, AND A BIOPSY!
IT'S BEEN 2 WEEKS NOW AND YOUR ARE WORSE, NOT BETTER.
I've read so many misdiagnosis here it's scary.
I had a biopsy 9 months ago, benign..last biopsy 3-19-2007, malignant, and the tumor is growing.
Chemicals no, tobacco products yes.
I'm not a Doctor, but have read many horror stories here.
Maybe it is just your tonsils, but YOU expressed a cancer concern, and it so far has fallen on two Drs, With Deaf Ears. You have lumps that are not on your tonsils. Your tongue feels something else.
All I know, is that after all this waiting, MY cancer is to the point where they have to cut half my tongue out, maybe the whole thing.
I'm praying for you that it's JUST the tonsils.
See what other people here say about this.
Good Luck, Petey

Definitely get a biopsy. My husband saw two dentists and an ENT. They all said that his lesion did not look like cancer; they thought it was a traumatic injury

I totally agree with Barbara and Petey. Get a biopsy and find out for sure what this is. My husband had an exam and CT scan one month after finishing his radiation therapy for tonsillar cancer and was given the "all clear." Two weeks later he got a sore throat on that side that wouldn't go away. The ENT and RO said it was just normal healing following radiation. But after many rounds of antibiotics without any improvement, a PET scan was done and showed residual tumor at the original site. A biopsy was then done and was positive, and on Monday he goes in for major surgery to resect the entire area. So much for "all clear." I think you should keep pursuing a biopsy so that you can be sure it isn't cancer.

Good luck and hopefully you'll get a biopsy done that will show it is NOT cancer.

-Tricia

Thanks for the replies. That lumps been there for atleast two years. Could the fact that it's been there so long indicate that it might not be malignant? It's hard, fixed, painless, submucossal and it's located on the side of my soft palate. What else could it be?

Hey Youngin. it's PeteyB again.
I see in your profile, that you are a scientist.
Are you familiar with the "OCCAM"S RAZOR" principal?
We need to quit assuming here. No one here is qualified to tell you what you want to hear, or do not want to hear. As a man of science, this should be obvious.
I need to stop being terse, and you need to stop being obtuse. As far as I know, you only live once.
Go get a biopsy my friend, and we all will sleep better. Everyone here wants you to win, but you have to play the game.
I'm praying for you.
PeteyB

You're absolutely right Petey. Thanks for the honesty. I'm just scared right now. My fear is not of the physical pain and misery that probably lies ahead. My main fear is about what my small children will have to endure. I've spent the last ten years of my life trying to kill myself with chemicals with no regard to myself or anyone around me. Now I've come to a point in my life where I absolutely am in love with two little children. It is just hard to accept the fact that they may suffer because of my actions. Either way that biopsy is coming next week. I'm just fishin for something to make me feel better. My prayers go out to you Petey, as well as any of the other souls suffering on this board.

Youngin: Just DO IT! Make sure and get that biopsy. Your children and all those who love you will be better off as soon as they can see you start fighting this and doing what needs to be done! My son's 5 year old daughter was one of the biggest reasons my son was able to make it through the treatment. Just to see the light in her eyes when he reached a particular milestone and knowing that she had helped was beautiful! I'll never forget the day she ran to me so excited with the news that "Daddy can eat jelly beans and he can taste them, too!" So, do it, do it, do it! And keep us posted.

Youngin,

If you love your children then get the biopsy and do whatever the Drs tell you to do ...As Mom of 5 young ones I know ! Believe me they will do quite well and will get you through it with an amazing sense of I dont even know what to call it ..GRACE ? Kids just do so good ..That was one of my biggest fears ..how do I get them through it ..truth is .they got me through it. and still do everyday ! SO GET THE BIOSPY !! I was told by my dentist ..Primary and Oral surgeon that the lesion in my mouth was no way cancer ..i was to young, didnt smoke or drink and just wasnt possible ..reassured over and over and over ..told don't think that way ..2 days after biopsy my phone was ringing and it was cancer ..........hmmmmmmm ..the naked eye dosent tell us what we need to know ..the pathology does . SO GET IT DONE @!!! I am now having my tonsils out as well ..7 weeks after 1st surgery....because to maney infections since Jan and antibiotics ( up to 875 mg now) dont work !! No lesions on them ..but you bet your butt I want them Biopsied !

Hey everybody, thank you for taking time and responding. My wife called the DR and had my appointment bumped up to this morning. So I've been seen by a GP, dentist, and two different ENT's. This last trip to ENT at Parkwest, Anne-Marie you probably know where I'm talking about, I carefully explained all my symptoms, risk factors and lumps. I told the guy I was sure I had OC. The guy said I was fine. Lumps were nothing. So can I rest now? Maybe I should be seeking the expertise of a different type of head DR.

Hi Youngin - Sounds like the doctor doesn't think there is anything to be concerned about, and maybe not, but it still concerns me a little bit that they did not do a biopsy. There are different kinds of biopsies and you can read up on them here: http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/diagnosis/index.htm
(read what they say about "oral brush biopsy") My son went to UT Medical Center and they have a section on their web site where you can check the creditials of all their doctors. I tried to find a site for Park West but couldn't see anything similar. If you still feel the need to check with a different type of doctor, my son's maxillofacial surgeon is dr. Eric Carlson at UT MEdical Center and the Dr that did the biopsy is Dr. William R. High on Peters Road (not too far from Park West). I probably just worry too much, but I guess mothers just do that. Perhaps someone else here can give you their take on this.

Hey everbody. It the hypochondriac from E. TN. again. I'm still chasing my tail around and obsessing over this lump on the roof of my mouth. I know, GET A BIOPSY. These DRs don't seem to want to biopsy this thing for whatever reason. My dentist said that I should listen to the advice of three Drs and get on with my life. He also said that I didn't want anyone to biopsy this thing, because they would more than likely excise the whole lump and it would be painfull. Am I missing something here? What about FNA? Could they be so sure that this is nothing? What the heck is it? All my research points me toward tumor of soft palate. It's hard, fixed and I can't tell if its growing. Ive even used chewing gum to press against it and try to measure it. It seems to be about 1 cm. but I have know idea how deep it is. This is getting ridiculous. Should I be satisfied with these guys 30 second assessments of this lump or should I be looking for another ENT? Is it common for even an ENT to miss such a diagosis? I guess what bugs me is that none of them have offered me and explanation as to what it IS. I'm sorry you all probably think I'm nuts and at this point, you might be right.

Have you seen an ENT that specializes in cancer? Some ENT's make their living putting tubes in kids ears so if it were me I would get another referal and if you can get one to a CC or CCC even all the better.

And forget what the dentist told you... Mine couldn't recognize a 6 cm tonsil tumor.

Is Parkwest a CC?

This board is full of stories of Drs that missed early on. You know that you need to get it biopsied, so please follow the advice of the very wise man, Gary, who posted above and find an ENT that specializes in cancer.

Tim

Hey, Youngin'.....(I'm a Tennessee native myself, so we're probably kin.) Please don't be one more of us whose cancer was mis-diagnosed and allowed to grow un-treated. Please call a cancer center....UT Knoxville or Memphis....or Vanderbilt....and self-refer for an ENT consultation. YOu can not afford to ignore this. You are thinking correctly. Everything has a diagnosis. Nothing is just "there." Find out what it is.

OK Youngin' - I think it is REALLY time to get the biopsy. I previously tried to check out ParkWest for you but couldn't even find a web site for them so I don't know if they are a CCC, but I DO know that U.T.Medical Center IS a CCC (Commprehensive Cancer Center). Dr. Eric Carlson a maxillofacial surgeon, did my son's surgery. Call him! If you want more specific info, (so you can mention my son) you can PM me or email me. Just click on the first or second little box just above my post. You have choices and it doesn't sound to me like being an obsessing hypochondriac is making you too happy. A biopsy would settle things one way or another. Getting a biopsy is no big deal. If you find out that you really are just a hypochondriac, it's certainly a lot better than finding out you have cancer. Delaying things just makes it worse.

Another CCC you could check out is the Thompson Cancer Survival Center in Knoxville, TN Their website is: http://www.thompsoncancer.com/tcsc-home.cfm They are part of the M.D.Anderson physicians network.

Thanks again guys. I think I age about ten years everytime someone pokes around in my mouth. Anne-Marie thanks for the lead again, I'm going to call Dr. Carlson. This just doesn't seem right that you can't trust what a doctor tells you.

Well, Youngin - Gary makes a good point about seeing an ENT that specializes in oral cancer. The ENT that just puts tubes in kids ears is probably very good at it, so I don't think it's necessarily a matter of trust but it's like with anything else that you pay for - you go to the person with the best experience and the most qualified and the one that can answer your questions to your satisfaction. I'm sure you'll feel lots better once you take steps to find out one way or another.

Hi youngin, I am a typical victim of doctors' misdiagnosis 5 years ago. I had consulted 4 doctors including ENTs, none of whom were concerned about my swollen left tonsil since I didnit drink or smoke.They kept on giving me antibiotics. When the hard lump appeared on the same side of the neck, I grew worried and the antibiotics didn't have any effect on both the tonsil and lump. It took me almost 9 months to get to an ENT expert who arranged a biopsy and found that it was stage 4 cancer already. My ignorance was largely to blame for the delayed diagnosis because I have to be in control of my own health problem. Get a biopsy asap to ensure peace of mind and you can start getting on with your life, as usual.

Karen

Hey guys. I just got back from the ENT again. No biopsy but this time he scoped my throat and tonsils. He said he checked to area above my soft palate out and this is nothing up there to be concerned with. I'm going to take what this guy says and go on with it. I guess I'll just keep my eye on things for a while.

Which ENT? A new referal to a cancer specialist or head & neck surgeon or the same one you have been seeing? Too many of us have heard the old "it's nothing to worry about" BS.

This is one that I've been to before. He's got a FACS behind his name. Does this mean he's a head and neck surgeon? I checked around yesterday before I went for a ENT specializing in cancer but there seemed no way to distiguish them from one another. The only other obvious alternative that I could see was to call an oncologist. The place that this guy is associated with is Ear, Nose and Throat Consultants of East Tennessee . His office is in the Tower at Park West. Please advise.

FACS simply indicates that he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (i.e. a board-certified surgeon). It means nothing in terms of cancer expertise.

Here's a link to the doctors at the UT Cancer Institute in Knoxville. As Anne-Marie says above, you'll want to see an oral/maxillofacial surgeon. They do have the cancer expertise: http://www.utmedicalcenter.org/cancer_institute/physicians_and_caregivers/ci_ut_physicians/

And here's the info for the head/neck cancer service: http://www.utmedicalcenter.org/cancer_institute/cancer_medical_services/head_and_neck/

All the best --
Leslie

Ok, dang it. I'm scheduled for an appointment with Dr. Carlson in two weeks. I can't take much more of this drama.

Good for you, Kit! I'm really proud of you for taking action!! The first appointment my son had with Dr. Carlson was for a week away but I was so anxious (that's putting it mildly!) that my ex-daughter-in-law called him back and got it for two days later! She even pretended she was still married to my son! So if you want to save yourself - and your family - a little stress, you could always call his office and request an earlier appointment. They switch things around all the time and everyone in the office is super nice. Maybe someone could call for you if it bothers you to call yourself. Hang in there and stay positive!