Hi rdb7777,

Good luck with your biopsy -- I hope it turns out to be benign. However, I don't like to hear about doctors generalizing when it comes to the implications of pain. In the months leading up to my diagnosis, a couple of doctors told me that my 24-hour-a-day pain was actually a good sign because that meant it almost certainly wasn't cancer! Also, while I did end up with a diagnosis of SCC, it was not a "large tumor" that caused the pain -- it was Stage II and it was treatable. I'm not trying to lead you to any conclusions here -- I just don't like to hear what sounds like a doctor jumping to a conclusion before getting the biopsy results.

I'm hoping in your case the news turns out to be good, but if it's not, please be sure to get to a comprehensive cancer center to be seen by a team that deals with these issues day in and day out.

Cathy

Tongue SCC (T2M0N0), poorly differentiated, diagnosed 3/89, partial glossectomy and neck dissection 4/89, radiation from early June to late August 1989