Nikki, welcome to OCF. Please take a deep breath and slow down. Right at this moment you have NOT been diagnosed with oral cancer (OC). Do yourself a favor and take this step by step so you dont get too far ahead of yourself. Worrying will only make you feel worse and can create all kinds of other issues. Also, Dr Google should be avoided as it will bring up all kinds of sites that arent relevant to your situation.

I would suggest skipping the dentist and going to an ENT (eat nose and throat specialist) who treats oral cancer patients. You do not want an ENT who mainly puts tubes in kids ears. Your lump could be all kinds of things besides cancer. A doctor can have a pretty good idea of what something is but only a biopsy will tell for certain what the lump is. Any lump, bump, sore inside your mouth that does not go away on its own within 2-3 weeks needs to be checked by a professional. By professional I mean an ENT who treats oral cancer patients, not a family doctor or dentist. Most dentists and family doctors are not familiar with oral cancer tumors enough to identify what isnt normal inside your mouth. Dentists look at teeth and ignore everything else and family doctors are more for normal everyday illnesses like colds, flu, high blood pressure etc. They dont usually see many patients who have had OC.

Hopefully what you have is nothing serious and is easily fixed. Best wishes!!!


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile