Hello Again Everybody!!!! I hope you are all doing well!!! I haven't been here in quite some time and have many regrets for this and some guilt! I have tried to put the cancer behind me and it would break my heart sometimes to visit the site. I have remembered all of you in my prayers regularly!

I feel somewhat selfish returning now, for I am once again in great need of advice/support. I have been doing well and have received all good reports until recently. I am apprx 20 months post-op and recently I noticed an oval shaped, approx 5mm ulcer in the back of my mouth. It is a smooth red, with a white (very round) border, and shows no signs of healing. It appears as a burn or blister with the top layer of skin peeled off. Forgive my poor knowledge of oral anatomy, but it is on the very thin tissue between the hinge of my jaw and tonsil on the left side (same side as primary). It has been two weeks (at least) and I finally made appt with ENT to get checked out on Thursday. I am scared to death, loosing sleep, and am making myself sick obsessing about it. I can't imagine that this is anything good. I am not sure what I am looking for here from anybody, but need to write to people who understand. If ENT does not on his own, I am going to strongly request a biopsy. It doesn't appear as any of the photos of cancer that I have ever seen (& have seen many). Has anybody had ulcers like this? Did cancer appear this way? I am not sure what to think, except that I am scared to death. Any input/advice would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you all and GOD BLESS!!!

Rick

Nobody here can make a diagnosis from a verbal description. You need to get back to your doc right away. Having been through this, you should know that.

Dear Rick,It goes without saying that you are in a panic, but since this could be a number of things, keep taking deep breaths until you see the ENT. And please let us know what he reports so we'll known whether or not to worry about you. Amy

Rick,

I'm fairly new to this board, but my husband was just diagnosed with a recurrence of SCC originating in the tonsil. He is now 4 years post-treatment and had done very well.

It is very, very scary but until you seek input from your docs, your questions will continue to haunt you.

Like Amy said, take a few deep breaths, get yourself into some good hands, and go from there.

I wish you only the best.....Loretta

You don't mention how long it has been there, but you know the rule longer than 14 days and it has to be biopsied. I don't know how far away you are from NYC, but I have a good firend and oral medicine specialist at NYU that I would like you to go and see if you can get there. Just email me and let me know. Bottom line... do not wait. If it is nothingserious, getting seen will give you peace of mind, if it is something serious, earlier is better than later to deal with it.

Hi Rick,

You are doing the right thing by getting it checked out on Thursday. Jack did have a similar spot on the side of his tongue and at the back of his gums, had the biopsy, and it was a benign papilloma. It's always scary and always needs to be checked out.

Right at the beginning our ENT told us to let him be the doctor and make the diagnosis and not to agonize about what needs to be checked out just make the appointment if we see anything. It's been good advice. Absolutely insist on the biopsy even if they think it's nothing because it's not a big deal for them to do that in the office.

Good luck on Thursday. Do the breathing thing that Amy is recommending. It helps to come back here and get support.

Regards JoAnne

RickT, I was gald to see your name here again but wow--so sorry such scary circumstances bring you back. I guess today is your biopsy day, I'm thinking of you and crossing my fingers this will turn out not to be cancer.

Nelie