No culture of tongue because he said its normal and happens to a lot of people..he didn't have any name for it but he kept saying its not cancer...I still don't feel comfortable with that,but what else can I do??he claims he dealth with hundreds of oral cancer patients and I don't have it and if I did he would be held responsable for not doing biopsy and he said how he wouldn't take that chance if he felt I had anything concerning going on....I need some help what can I do does a ent doctor know from just looking there is no cancer???

They do have a lot of experience but it depends really on the dr. Best thing to do I'd get a second opinion. Good luck...

Trese,

I'm going to be rather blunt, it's just how I am, so I hope you don't take offense.

You've seen 8 Dr's due to this issue, you've just gotten the opinion of an ENT specialist who is telling you he's seen it before and not to worry about it. That's his opinion. If you don't like his opinion, then get another opinion however do yourself a favor and get the best medical opinion available to you in this arena which would be a at a CCC.

Bravo to you for pushing for what you believe will ease your mind, a biopsy, however understand that the Dr's do need an area of concern to pull tissue for a pathology report. We see these posts on these forums often enough, someone believes they have cancer due to risk factors or seeing an awareness campaign and they allow their minds to run wild, worrying themselves into hysteria. Don't be that person.

Your steps to follow right now, get a second opinion from the best medical advice available to you. Nobody on these forums can diagnose you or even tell you if your Dr is qualified and experienced enough to eyeball your area of concern and rule out if it's cancerous or not. You obviously don't trust his opinion anyway so it really wouldn't matter what we believed.

Get to a CCC, get their opinion and be prepared to accept it. From the description I highly doubt it's cancer, but I'm not a ENT who does this for a living and spent over a decade in school and medical training...

Good luck

Eric

Trese:
I know how you feel because I went through something similar in the past. Believe me, you won't rest until you do what the others said, "Go to a CCC somewhere in your area" and get it checked out for once and for all. If you need a reference, ask that ENT who is so sure that there's nothing there to arrange an appointment, or perhaps you won't need a recomendation, just find the telephone number and talk to the Center. If necessary, you could get your family doctor, or even dentist, to recommend you, if necessary. Worrying will drive you nuts, and us telling you not to worry doesn't help either, but it is because we care. Please do this and get back with us.
julieann

Ok thanx so much everyone, I'm kinda torn on what to do and my family already think I'm nutz for going to so many doctors for what they all claim to be nothing, but I will follow through and get a second opinon...can anyone help me would all forms of oral cancer be visible to the eye by a ent he felt my glands and felt spots in my mouth and said its nothing. I don't know why I'm having a hard time accepting that, well maybe because all of my symptoms are still there and there has been no explanation for them????

No not all cancer is visible to the eye - my first biopsy came back inflamed tissue - the underside of my tongue on one side was red - the ENT said well its a large area of redness I don't know where to take from - if he had felt around he might have noticed that there was a lump in my tongue - there was no sore - so its very likely the tumor was under the surface - I thought it was merely scar tissue as I'd had a leukoplakia removed years before - I was wrong. So was he - he either didnt go deep enough or didn't take from the right area - two years later that's where the tumor was discovered. Now saying that - I agree with both of the previous opinions - likely not cancer - however go to a top ccc - have it checked out to ease your mind. Good luck. Dr.s aren't always right but a lot I hem do know what here talking about! Take care!

Cheryl , thnks for that comment I feel like we have been through almost the samething...but where do I go from here ? I have a white tongue instead of red and he's saying its normal???I don't get it its never been like this before so how is it "normal"....cheryl did u smoke when u got the leukoplkia??? And was it just a spot or did your whole tongue turn white??? Not cancer?? But what y can't he tell me what's wrong I would probably feel better....if anyone can google allentown pa the doctor who's seen me has only been in the practice 3 years but told me he's seen hundreds of oral cancer patients????

Trese,

I'm finding it hard not to agree with your family about your mental state. You've worked yourself into hysteria...you are "that" person. Even if it is cancer, which is doubtful, it's not necessarily a death sentence, especially if caught early.

Obviously you don't accept your Dr's opinion...so why care about that Dr now? My suggestion is to get to your GP and ask for an antianxiety med to see you through until you find an answer you'll accept, or score some pot and chill out. I think you'll likely go due to a stroke or anuerysm at this point.

Fox Chase in Philadelphia is a CCC, a top program nationally and is only a little over an hour away (as per Google Maps) 888-369-2427. Call them and get your second before you drive yourself into a mental collapse. Stress will kill you before cancer in my opinion.

You've been told where to go from here from people that "live" oral cancer...now take that advice and run with it.

I agree with Eric. You have ignored three people on the forum that all have some experience with this, who think you have a fungal infection. I don't see any movement from you to determine if that is the very simple cause of your tongue being white. You have been a smoker, so smokers leukoplakia (benign) is also a possibility and when you have been off tobacco for about three weeks it usually just goes away. You have doctors telling that they don't see anhything� this confuses me, since you said your tongue is all white. They would certainly see that. So what's up with that? Bottom line. None of us here are doctors, so we can't tell you anything more. You need to see another doctor for another opinion, have him rule out the simple stuff like fungal, viral, and leukoplakia (which does not turn your whole tongue white but does in spots) and get the answers that will fix things and will calm your mind. These cancer patients here, have done what they can. Please post again after you have another medical opinion from someone that has looked physically in your mouth.

Brian,

I have mentioned before I was treated twice for fungal infection with no response with two different antifungal..also I never said they didn't see anything out of the 8 doctors all said they saw the white but they said its a smokers tongue or oral thrush and ent said its normal and sometimes it goes away and he doesn't know what causes it ...I have a piercing pain in my ear and head that goes and comes ...my ent won't biopsy but all the other doctors told me I should have one ...I made another appointment to see another ent doctor for this week...I called the ccc places nearest to me but they can't see me unless diagnosed with some form of cancer..I'm not tryin to be a pain but don't know where else to turn both my parents died from cancer and my mom wasn't diagonsed early enough to help her...I just don't want to have the same happen to me...so I'm just here looking for help and advice...what symptoms should I look for??? Yes my tongue is completely white no spots this can not be normal???