Hi everyone,
I'm looking for advice on how to proceed/next step. I know nothing takes the place of the advice of my doctor but right now I'm feeling lost and confused with no clear direction. I guess some would say its time to change doctors but this is actually my second one and today was the first visit. He examined me (including flexible laryngoscopy) and said everything looked fine, read the path report, commented this is as close to cancer as you can get to without having cancer. That was a jolting comment. He recommended I come back in 3 months but agreed to 6 weeks with my persistence.

To go back some, the actual growth I had removed on 6/20/13 from my uvula (warty/papilloma type lesion I found with a flashlight) at the first ENT office right there in his office. Tug, snip and he removed the entire growth. Moderate dysplasia with HPV cellular changes.

I have read a few signatures from other members where initial biopsy came back moderate dysplasia but excision of growth was cancer (I believe one was micro invasion).
Although my growth was removed, there was no testing done for margins. I'm wondering if I should insist that my current ENT do an additional biopsy of my uvula to see if the margins are clear? I don't know if I'd need to be put to sleep for this or if it could be done in his office.

On another note, are there people out there that really just have dysplasia cut out that never have a problem again? I know the rate of dysplasia turning to cancer is 3 - 15% but I have been reading so much online that seems to say if the dysplasia growth is not removed, in most/many cases it will become cancer and can even recur if removed. What's really true? I know this is of course an oral cancer support forum and many people that join with symptom questions don't follow up if they don't have OC but if anyone has an experience similar to mine, I would appreciate reading about it.

Thanks for reading as today was a frustrating day and I really needed to write this out and am grateful for any advice on how to proceed with the lack of any info on lesion margins.

Svet
Coughed up benign squamous papilloma (per path report of first lab)
Moderate dysplasia growth removed from uvula

Bone marrow transplant 1994 for Leukemia (CML)

Usually a biopsy will indicate if there were margins, I would ask to ease your mind.

Not all dysplasia turns into cancer as you know but it is a good indicator to keep an eye on the area.

If you don't get satisfactory answers from your ENT then see another. I know it's scary, try to remain calm. hugs.

Thanks for your reply. I have the path report and read it again. It says nothing about margins at all. Does this typically mean they didn�t check the margins/didn't cut enough out to check it?
Svet
Svet
Coughed up benign squamous papilloma (per path report of first lab)
Moderate dysplasia growth removed from uvula

Bone marrow transplant 1994 for Leukemia (CML)

It sounds like you had an excisional biopsy where the whole growth was removed. If proved positive for cancer, than they would have to go back to see if wide enough margins were taken, but not if it's clear, unless there is still suspicion of cancer. Usually they remove enough surrounding tissue, at in a surgical biopsy up to 5mm.