 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | PCP's typically couldn't Dx oral cancer if the tumor jumped out of your mouth and smacked them in the face. Many ENT's deal with kids ear tubes and are NOT cancer specialists either so you may have to take a drive to the big city (get a referal first) and find an ENT or H&N surgeon who specializes in cancer Dx.
Has your dentist taken xrays, could it be a cracked tooth? Maybe you need a root canal? Are your gums healthy? Are you rubbing it a lot and irrritating it worse? Do you have a sinus infection? Peritonsillar abcess? Even post nasal drip can cause your symptoms. Have you taken antibiotics lately -that can cause thrush -but even your PCP should be able to recognize that.
It could be many things besides cancer so it's too soon to panic. Take a deep breath and get to the right specialist , get cancer ruled out.
Last edited by Gary; 02-07-2010 04:17 AM.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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