For the past 1+ years I have had progressively worse symptoms. Started as on and off left sided sore throat and ear pain. I was referred to an ENT who 1sr diagnosed post nasal drip and then relfux causing the throat irritation. Ive taken a ton of different nasal sprays and allergy meds...allergy testing was negative as well as negative ear tests and a FEES (swallow . reflux) test was negative for reflux but the ENT felt I still had the reflux but it was silent??!!. Took Aciphex for almost 1 year in total. Ear, throat back of tongue irritation / feeling persisted. Finally in Dec 2009 after almost 1 year ENT said I should see a gastro??...went to the gastro had an upper endoscopy...negative for reflux. Throat irriation has gotten progressively worse over the last year....now I have pretty bad left sided ear, throat and tongue pain. Visually I do not see any oral lesions other than some swelling on the floor of my mouth on the left under the tongue. I also feel like I have some submandibular gland swelling. I am scheduled for a CAT scan next week. Can this be oral cancer that has been missed / misdiagnosed for over a year? I have had tons of direct and indirect laryngoscopies and an x-ray of the soft tissue of the neck which was negative. Im really frightened....everything I read says OC needs to be diagnosed quickly yet I feel like I am / have gotten the runaround for over a year??

Michele,

The CT scan should help. There is also a thing called a PET scan that you can ask about.

I think you might want to look for another ENT you can get a second opinion from. I was diagnosed on my third doctor. I was not miss-diagnosed, the GP and an Oral surgeon just could not identify what it was I had. They both thought about anti biotics or anti virals but I insisted that if they did not know what it was I wanted to see another doctor that could figure it out.

Both of these doctors ruled out cancer. Even though I was relived that I did not have cancer I still wanted a definite answer. The ENT I saw figured it out, it was cancer.

On the Bright side, we see many come here asking the same questions you are who end up being cancer free. You just want to make sure you know where this problem is originating.

Good Luck.

Kelly

not trying to scare u but misdiagnosis is the reason why this kind of cancer is usually not found until its in the later stages.
with that said, the cancer normally isnt painful. andy had hearing loss, not pain, and was misdiagnosed for over a year. finally, lumps in his neck were biopsied, and he was diagnosed.
but as kelly said, many come on here thinking the worst, and they are cancer free.
if u are still uneasy...definately get a second opinion.

Thank you Teresa and Kelly!

I will definitely post an update as I know more. I agree that I think I need a new ENT. As soon as the scan is completed and I can access the films and report I am going to go elsewhere. Cancer or not after 1 year of treatment for things I did NOT have I beleive I need a new direction / set of eyes. Sloan Kettering is only about 25 miles away but in Long Island / NYC travel time its really about an hour and a half trip by car or rail due to horrible traffic / congestion but at least I have a top Cancer Center close.

I knew I had something about ths time in 2006 but it took until the 1st part of 2007 before someone took me serious. Even a lot of Drs didn't know that much about it.

Hi Michele, I know traveling around the city is difficult and can be an issue if you are not feeling well. BUT we are very lucky to be so near to Sloan.
They do have some centers outside of NYC. I know there are some on LI . Not sure of location or speciality but it might be worth looking up. I think their surgeries are all still done in the city but evaluations, follow-up care.etc are done at some of their sites off the main campus.

I'd also heard it's best to get it quick, but my surgeon said it was likely a full year between it first showing and when he finally got it out...and he got it all, so don't think that if it turns out to be cancer it's too late.

Michele,

It sounds like you have been doing everything the ENT told you to do. The important thing is you have not been ignoring the pain. A lot of us here have dealt with what you are going through. I started looking into an "ulcer" I had on my tongue and after a year it was suggested that I get a biopsy and that is when I was diagnosed.

Have you already made an appointment at Sloan?

No appoinment yet. Tomorrow I go for the CT and my Dental visit. Hopefully by 2/16-2/17 I will know the CT results and then schedule w/ Sloan regardless of the ENT's finding.

Hi Michele, we have an appt at Sloan on the 23. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm sure you have heard some of the same great stuff we have.