Thanks, everyone. Today I pushed for an ultrasound asap. They will try to schedule this next week but wouldn't rx an ultrasound-guided biopsy, so I think I'll have to travel (again) if I want that.

I know I'm definitely not too young for HPV-OC. When I went to JHU, obviously the entire otolaryngology department knew about HPV-OC and did not waste time lecturing me about how there was no hard evidence of the connection. Part of the problem is where I live; doctors here are all in private practice, not academic research, and slower to catch on. I should credit my ENT in that he is a very prominent local physician and head of the older, established hospital in town. But this is a very small community and to change doctors means to change cities.

I think I will look into Emory because I can stay with people there whereas I've no place to stay in Tampa. How odd that I worried about HPV-OC before, was told not to worry, and years later my jaw locks and this lesion is discovered by accident. I'd no idea it was (is) there or how long it's been there.

Has anyone heard of a head & neck MRI or ultrasound to screen for OC since it so often presents in late stages and/or with node involvement? How about oral HPV test? Everyone always says "early detection" but is there something more thorough now than the "look in oral cavity and use the scope?"

Thanks.