Hi, I am new to this group. I had my 4th wide area excision in January of 2012. My first was in 2005. In 2005 I had superficial squamous cell carcinoma. All 4 other surgeries I have had since have been for high grade dysplasia. The last one I had the doctor took out some buccal tissue during surgery. She was only supposed to remove a retromolar tissue area that was positive for dysplasia. Anyway, since the operation I now have a piece of flesh that feels like it may be the result of surgery, but not sure. I no longer have health insurance. I can't go to the doctor because if he suggests a biopsy I have no money for anything.

Any idea on what this may be? I don't recall it until recently. At least I was not aware of this thing that feels like a tumor. I have no idea what to do.

Thanks.

Welcome to OCF!

If you have a serious issue you need to get it checked by a professional. Maybe the doc will take payment arrangements. Please dont put a price on your life. If the doc is familiar with you they may waive the charges. My doc waived his rates for 8 months until my insurance kicked in. Any sore that has been in your mouth for 2 weeks or longer needs to get checked by an ENT or oral surgeon. If it would be cancer it needs attention or it will only get worse and harder to treat.

Wishing you all the very best with this!

Ditto what Christine said. I totally understand that money is important but oral cancer can be very aggressive. What seems to be nothing can quickly turn into something bad. Your having had superficial SCC tells me that you need to stay on top of it. Otherwise what was superficial could easily become invasive and if not detected until too late will require not only surgery but chemoradiation and even then may not be stopped. I am sure a biopsy and the drs bills are expensive but the rest could be not only far more expensive but also cost you your life. The excisional area that was removed in 2012 may have been grafted inside your mouth or could very well have become a tumor. I don't want to scare you - though the term cancer is scary to begin with, but this should be looked at ASAP. best of luck and let us know what happens.

welcome to OCF. My immediate suggestion is to go back to the ENT surgeon who did the procedure and explain you think something related to that procedure may be showing itself.

Once you get past this, you will owe for a visit/consult. Ask up front that what type of fee adjustments he can do for you. At worst case you are out the cost of the visit but you have a much better idea and less worry about the unknown.

If it is nothing than great. If he thinks you need further diagnosis like a biopsy, then call your county public health department to seek subsidized care options. They are available through medi-caid (Fed) medi-cal (state), county level and also non-profit organizations also help.