Katie, here's a link to some info about PTA

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20020101/93.html

Even if you had your tonsils removed as a child, if they don't remove every bit, they can grow back. The tonsils are all lymph tissue.

In the following article it states that "recurrences have occured in patients who underwent tonsillectomy".

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic417.htm

You are wise to find a definitive answer from a qualified doctor. Some younger people tend to get blown off by doctors because you are not in the statistically high risk group - that is no reason why they shouldn't take you seriously.

And no, you not being a pain, you are just naturally scared of having oral cancer (I was scared of having PTA!). Oral cancer has not shown much evidence of having genetics play a role. Unlike other forms of cancer, it is not passed from generation to generation. There could be a genetic weakness that predisposes your family to cancer but cancer is so prevalent in our world it would be hard to tell. Practically ALL families have some members who have had cancer. Recently major studies have been initiated to explore this.

Cancer is about 50% of the worldwide overall death rate. Heart disease takes up most of the rest.