So I've had a bump on the the back of my throat for about six months now, give or take a couple months. It has not changed in size at all. The bump is a little bit darker thank the skin around it. Dark enough for me to have noticed it. It doesn't bother me really. I have a Gastro appointment about a month ago and had an endoscopy and asked him about it and he said he sees nothing abnormal. I went to a dentist maybe two months ago and had an oral cancer screening that showed abnormal cells and he sent me to an oral surgeon to get a biopsy and when I got there the surgeon looked around and didn't see anything out of the ordinary and that the thing I was talking about was just swollen lymph tissue and that was normal to have. I didn't think it'd be normal to have for that long though I don't know. So I didn't get a biopsy done and went on my way. Well the bump is still there so I went to my GP and he looked at it and gave me some antibiotics to take(augmentin for ten days and told me if it doesn't clear up to give him a call and he'll send me to an ENT. I made an appointment with an ent and he said the area I was talking about was lymph tissue but on the other side was an ulcer and that he was going to give me antibiotics. So later that day I called the ent and told him I had already taken the antibiotic he had prescribed so he prescribed me cipro. I called later and opted out and told him to just cut it out since he would do it if it's still there anyway and was told that it would be about two weeks. I didn't want to wait that long so I made an appointment with an oral surgeon to have a consolation for a biopsy. I went today and he looked it and said that he doesn't see any area to worry about. He asked me the area that I was talking about. I pointed it out to him and he said it looked like an area an ulcer had been that had healed over. The area had a small area of white in it but this was nothing to worry about so now I have two conflicting areas. I'm 25 and am a previous tobacco user. Smoking and dipping. Also used to drink but don't anymore. I also went through a point where I had lots of cr scans due to anxiety and doctors just sending me so I've been exposed to unneeded amounts of radiations. I'm wondering what to do now. Get it cut or wait it out.

Any sore or abnormality in your mouth that has been there for 2 - 3 weeks or longer should be checked by a professional. I suggest seeking out an ENT or oral surgeon (preferably and ENT) who is familiar with treating oral cancer patients. Your sore should probably be biopsied to determine exactly what it is. I suggest finding out what it is before having it removed.

Good luck!

It's hard in your situation to know whose right. We are not docs so we can't give you the answer you need but I guess if I were you I would do as Christine suggests and seek out an ENT who has Oral Cancer patients and experience.

It is tough. The oral surgeon said the area looks like an ulcer that has been healing and the ent said that if it doesn't clear up they are going to take it out. So i guess I could just have it removed.

As I mentioned earlier, its a good idea to know what is going on before you have any procedures done. You dont want to go thru surgery only to find out it was botched by not getting clear margins if it comes back as cancerous. There isnt a doctor practicing who can tell you for certain what your sore is until a biopsy is done and read at the lab. They are only guessing so please do yourself a big favor and know what you are dealing with before accepting any treatment.

So Christine you suggest I go through with getting a biopsy?

I agree with what the others have suggested - get a biopsy first. I've had a few discussions with my doctors (2 different ENTs) and they would rather do surgery after cancer is confirmed via a biopsy (a small sample). This way the tumor is more intact and is easier for them to surgically remove it with the goal of getting clean margins (a wide area of healthy tissue surrounding the tumor). Many biopsies can be done in the office. An oral surgeon can do this, but if you can get an appointment with a ENT with oral cancer experience, it is probably better to have it done by the ENT.

You mentioned you had an oral cancer screening at your dentist that showed abnormal cells. How did the dentist determine they were abnormal? Was he using a Velscope or other "light" device that aids it detecting abnormal cells? These devices are great tools to help identify suspect tissue, but that also depends on the experience of the doctor who is using it. They only sure way to confirm if it is cancer is via a biopsy.

Take it a step at a time. I sure hope it is just a lump!

Yes, get the sore biopsied asap. Then you will know what you are dealing with and take things one step at a time from that point.

Biopsy first!