We hear some really foolish comments on this site and this.... doc didn't think it was cancer but said it could be a virus assioated with cancer... ranks right up there with the best of "Dumb Things Doctors Say". First off as Christine points out no doctor can visually tell if something is or is not cancer, only the pathologist can do that and second IF this is a "Virus associated with cancer" like HPV then it is cancer and must be treated just like non HPV SSC.

Welcome to this site and do keep us posted.

Kudos david... um firstly the only virus I know of that is associated with Oral cancer is HPV. Location on your tongue --- HIGHLY UNLIKELY it's HPV related. HPV oral cancer usually is found at the base of tongue (down the throat) or tonsil sometimes there is an occult cancer found in your nodes with no known primary. This can mean one of two things. The initial tumor resolved itself (very rare) or it's hiding - often in the tonsil, and is discovered later.

So either you have cancer or you don't the biopsy will tell you. Your drs commentary? useless. He's playing both sides of the fence. hugs and good luck

Check my reply to your other post.

Anyone know about how long it takes for biopsy to heal

David what if it is HPV that means it is cancer ? Or would it be pre cancer ? And what would they treat that with ? Just hope monday comes fast so I can hopefully get results little bit nervous again now . I also have NF1 which I know u can grow fibromas on your tongue so myabe that's what it is

Well since the location is not where HPV positive cancer is typically found I seriously doubt the virus is involved. Once the virus has invaded the cell, worse case it basically alters the reproductive cycle of the cell turning it to the dark side or cancer. The only way to determine if that cancer cell was invaded by HPV is to study and stain the cell looking for a specific protein. Other than other oral pre cancer conditions like leukoplakia I have never heard of any pre cancerous HPV positive SSC because I assume the virus is either killed off by our immune system (99% of the time) or converts the cell to cancer. Most/many HPV oral cancers are first discovered by a swollen lymph node and then traced back to the primary site which is usually the tonsils or the Base of Tongue.

HPV, which refers to the Human Pamplona Virus, is a possible SOURCE of the cancer, however a diagnosis with HPV does not necessarily prove that it was, in fact, the source of YOUR cancer.

The other and more obvious sources of Oropharyngeal cancer are a) heavy drinking in early adulthood (any beyond, if such is the case,) and b) Heavy smoking during the same life-stage. There are probably more, but that's the big three sources in a nut-shell.

In this game, having an HPV diagnosis is considered to be a good thing because the perception is that HPV associated patients have an easier time going through treatments.

I hope that this clarifies things a bit. And I wish you well.

[edit for spelling]

Bart said "In this game, having an HPV diagnosis is considered to be a good thing because the perception is that HPV associated patients have an easier time going through treatments."

Not to put words in his mouth but us HPV'ers suffer just as much as your non HPV'ers during the radiation/chemo phase of the treatment but there have been studies that proved that HPV+SCC responds better to the conventional treatment than HPV-SCC and therefore has less of a chance of recurrence which is a good thing.

Thank you david and bart for your help like I said before not sure what it is waiting for biopsy results which they said Monday i would get which seems years away snd hoping its neither HPV or scc thank u again i will let u all know what it is Monday

Also, studies show there is no prognostic benefit being HPV in cancer outside the oropharynx (tonsils, base of tongue, pharyngeal wall, soft palate).

http://oralcancernews.org/wp/study-...ncer-patients-to-vary-depending-on-site/