Hi Meg,
One of the problems with oral cancer is that it often shows no symptoms until is already in the later stages.

I have had two different occurrences of oral cancer and both were preceded a change in voice about 3 months prior to a second symptom. The second symptom, the first time, was a lump in the neck near the submandibular saliva gland. The dr did a needle biospy and put me on antibiotics for 2 weeks to see whether it went away. Biopsy came back negative, but check up two weeks later revealed a new lymph node that that was also swollen. This was surgically removed 2 days later and came back SCC.

The second time the only symptom I had other than voice change was an occasional minor pain in the throat. Then one day I swallowed a large vitamim pill and it hurt bad. I knew that this had to be checked immediately and found out I now had a small tumor growing on my larynx.

The thing to remember with this disease is that early detection is the key to survival. And to have it detected properly, you should really be examined by a specialist who regularly deals with SCC cancers, preferably at one of the major national cancer centers. Too many people have succumbed to this disease because the doctors they saw were unable to recognize the symptoms and order the proper tests.

Good luck on your paper and thank you for helping to inform your fellow students about this disease.

Take care,
Eileen