Ellen, welcome to OCF. I hope you do not need our services!

It sounds like you have your hands full with raising your children and also not being in the best of health. Those things can cause alot of stress and make these things more challenging.

Smoking can cause cancer, several kinds so its good you have stopped using tobacco. A compromised immune system can be a factor in developing cancer. I have not heard of steroids and stress having an impact on getting oral cancer so please dont add that to your concerns. Of course stress is not good for anyone so its wise not to borrow trouble. Its likely to be several weeks before you have concrete answers to what is causing your symptoms.

Im not sure what type of doctors have been doing the scopes you recently had. I suggest you seek out an ENT who specializes in oral cancer and give them all your list of symptoms. Make sure to tell them about the vocal nodules. I dont know if something like that goes away on its own. Whatever their determination, its up to you to follow thru with their recommendation. I know you say you dont have the time but you need to make the time to take care of yourself. Raising children takes alot of energy, you must take care of yourself in order to take care of them.

Best wishes!