I wanted to know what to expect at my ENT visit. I have a wart-like growth in my left tonsillar area according to my dentist. A little history:I have no tonils or adenoids. The growth has been there over a year. It does not appear to be growing. It is not inflammed nor does it hurt. My throat is sometimes scratchy and I had an occassional buzzing/ringing/pressure in my left ear. I am HPV positive as I also have cervical dysplasia that is being treated. I just turned 40.
My question is will the ENT just take a look at the growth or will he do a biopsy the same day. I was orginally referred by my dentist to see an oral surgeon but when I called to schedule the appointment I was told it would be better to see an ENT as he would be able to treat me if the biopsy was positive.
I see the ENT Monday.

The ENT will look into your oral cavity, tongue, throat, and try to feel the base of tongue with fingers for lumps, check your neck nodes for enlargement and do a largynoscope through the nostrils, and may do a biopsy..punch, brush, or excisional, if it's suspicious, and if accessible, but the back of throat, oropharynx, can be difficult to get to, and further back needs to be done under anesthesia, due to the gag reflex. It would take a few days to get the results back, which is done by a pathologist. We really have 3 sets (6) of tonsils, and had mine, probably the palatine or lingual tonsils, removed as a child, so that doesn't mean much as far as cancer or anything else. HPV has propensity to be found in the tonsil, base of tongue more than any other area, maybe by 90 percent, and is often painless until the late stages, and beng HPV cervical increase the risk as do other factors, smoking, drinking...There are many other reasons for lesions that are not always cancerous. The dr. may give a script for antibiotics, and or order a CT or other scan, and depending on that further testing such as a fine needle biopsy for nodes, an endoscopy under anesthesia.

You are doing the right thing by going to an ENT to be examned. Good luck with everything.

Avis,

Welcome to OCF, the best source of info and support on oral cancer.

I agree going to see an ENT is better than an oral surgeon in your situation. The doctor will do a manual and visual exam that will most likely include scoping your throat via a tube inserted through your nose it is not painful, just annoying. The doctor may or may not do a biopsy in the office that decision will be based on what the visual exam shows and the location of the growth. A biopsy is the only way to confirm if the growth is cancer. The results of a biopsy take a few days, so you will not get an answer on Monday.

IF it does turn out to be cancer, make sure the ENT you are seeing is familiar with treating someone with OC not all are! Ask how many OC patients he or she has treated.

Make a list of questions to ask and if possible have someone come with you to take notes. There is a lot of great information on the OCF website and the forum, so read and do research this weekend.

I certainly hope that you do not need to join our group, but if you do we can provide you with more information and support. Best wishes and let us know what happens!

Thank you PaulB and Susan2992 for your responses. I am trying not to scare myself but I was concerned when my dentist insisted I needed to have the growth checked at my last visit. Of course I didn't make the appointment right away not until my left ear started ringing and my throat started bothering me.I pray I don't need to join your group but its nice to know there is someone that understands my concerns.
BTW I am not a smoker and have never smoked.

Avis, as the others have noted, you're doing the right thing. having the scope up your nose isn't what I'd call pleasant, but they'll numb you up first so it's not too bad. and it doesn't take long. However it's true, that's a tough area to look around and your doc might want to do what they call a triple endoscopy, which is a procedure in an operating room under anesthesia. It's fairly brief and of course you're asleep through the whole thing. Bit of a sore throat afterward but often it can be the only way they can get the best look.

We're all rooting for this to be something else for you. Either way we're here to help you in any way we can.

Thanks Davis2 for your response.
I had a cousin who died of oral cancer but he was a smoker. I never realized that there were so many nonsmokers that ended up with oral cancer. Does anyone know if there is anything I should be doing to decrease my risk for developing oral cancer as I don't smoke and rarely drink.

A big thing now is Chemoprevntion, which could be better named as cancer prevention since no chemo is actually used. Having frequent dental exams, ENT visits, proper oral care, stop or reduce drinking, smoking, 2nd hand smoke and exposure to other carcinogens, irritants. Stop using alcohol mouth wash, increase fruits and vegetables in the diet, especially greens, critic fruits, and those containing antioxidants, beta carotene. Stay healthy, maintain proper body weight.

When I developed a painful canker sore on my tongue in 2005, all the research I did said that OC usually occurred in an older male, who drank and smoked. So when I went to my primary care doctor about the canker sore, he said it wasn't likely cancer because "I didn't fit the profile" and it didn't look like OC. Likewise, when I went to the oral surgeon, he also said the same thing, but did a biopsy anyway. Surprise it was cancer!

Unfortunately there are a lot of non-smokers who develop OC Why? Not sure! HPV is one cause, but that does not account for all cause of OC in non-smokers. I was one of them. I've been a member of this "OC club" since 2005 and have meet many OC patients, and many are young, female, non-smokers and non-HPV.

I know this is a very scary time for you and I don't want to add to your anxiety, but it is better to be prepared when you go to the ENT to make sure he/she does not take your concerns lightly.

I would make sure that they test the biopsy sample for HPV. It should now be a standard test for all oral cavity biopsies, but I believe it has to be requested by the ENT. If you've done some research on HPV and OC, you will probably have read that HPV caused OC responds better to treatment.

You've received a lot a great advice so far and again I truly hope that you do not join our group.