I get nervous whenever I read or hear that oral cancers tend not to hurt. In my case and many others that I have met, pain was the first symptom. I had pain for a couple of months before my lesion erupted. My pain would wax and wane, but it was persistent. Pain is a signal to your body that something isn't right. It doesn't always mean assume the worst, but it can often be an early sign if nothing else is obviously wrong. I wish I knew about the 2 week rule then. I was lucky. That's why OCF's mission is to save lives by education and awareness .