Lily, welcome to OCF! Please do yourself a big favor and relax. At this point you are not sure exactly what your mother is dealing with. I understand you are worried, who wouldnt be. Take it step by step and wait to see what the biopsy results say then find a good doctor at a top cancer center.

A biopsy usually takes about a week for the results to come back. Yes, I have heard of preliminary results coming back very quickly. From what I understand, for full results it takes a lab several days to treat a biopsy sample and observe it for growth to get complete results.

you are correct, chemo alone will not kill the cancer. The only known cures for oral cancer are surgery and radiation with or without chemo.

Hope it turns out to be nothing serious!!!! Best wishes!