Hi everyone

First of all I am sorry to hear of anyone who is fighting cancer in any way shape or form. I am constantly amazed by the sheer bravery of those suffering from cancer, but also those surviving cancer and living their lives!!

I went to the doctors recently complaining of fatigue and an enlarged left collar bone with pain across the left side of my chest, neck, and ear. Also with left armpit lymph raised and causing discomfort. I am scheduled for a neck ultrasound.

I then felt a small pimple inside my left gum/floor of mouth. Gp said there is just a small ulcer there. Went to an out of hours about so called lump, he suggested calcium stone. Finally as id prodded and sucked sour sweets to no avail, went to a maxillofacial surgeon who said biopsy but absolutely no suspicions regarding ulcer.Yes i smoke, silly me as gave up a year ago for two and a half years! but sucked on nicotine mints regularly and those things left me with sore stomach and consistent canker sores. nevertheless those cleared up eventually.

i am so scared as i cannot understand why i have the ulcer which seemed to form at he same time a the eAr, neck, collarbone pain. also only last year did i learn that my great gran died from throat cancer at 33 years old. could there be a gene? finally, i have had nothing but infection since xmas, dont know why?

Lots of colds, coughs, sinusitus, uti, thrush, and now possible chest infection as slight rattle on lungs. anyone offer n advice? the surgeon seems not troubled, surely a good sign? He says no lump there, ive inflammed my duct probably by prodding xxx

Welcome to OCF! Not knowing whats wrong can be very frightening. Especially if you are doing internet searches and running your symptoms all over the internet. It will provide some very scary results.

First, Im not sure if you are still using tobacco or nicotine products as you said "Yes I smoke". So if you still do then get rid of all the tobacco and nicotine products immediately. There are hundreds of chemicals in tobacco. Even chewing tobacco has all kinds of things added so its not a good substitute for smoking. Better to avoid all those irritants completely for good. As a former smoker I know its not easy to quit, but if you do it now you greatly improve the odds of living a long healthy life. Because of my 'habit' I went thru oral cancer 3 times within 3 years and now I am permanently disfigured. As an adult you should be aware of the dangers of using tobacco. You didnt come here to get a lecture so I will stop giving you a hard time about it.

Any sore you have in your mouth that is there for over 2 weeks needs to be checked by a professional. I suggest an ENT who specializes in oral cancer to check the lump and do a biopsy. The other symptoms you mentioned in the final paragraph should be checked out with your family doctor (colds, coughs, uti, etc).

At this time there has not been any hereditary links found for oral cancer.

I hope what you have going on turns out to be nothing serious. Keep looking for an answer. If you have the biopsy done you will know for sure if you have cancer or not.

Best wishes!

Welcome Tamsin, you did the right thing going to the maxillofacial surgeon, hopefully a cancer specialist, and going to have an ultra sound, biopsy done. I had a calcium stone in my salivary duct, I didn't know about until I had a PET/CT scan ordered by my ENT, so he took it out while doing my endoscopy, under anesthesia.

Did your GP do any blood work to see of any abnormal levels? The collar bone, and armpit lymph is not a usual place for oral cancer involvement, but anything is possible. Based of your medical issues mentioned in the last paragraph, these may have something to do with your current concern of the mouth ulcer, and may be a systemic condition. Did you see a doctor about these infections, and take any medications? Some meds can cause mouth ulcers, as well as other medical conditions causing them too.

If the thrush was not resolved, which is a fungal infection and easily treated by anti fungal medication, it can go into your blood system via the ulcer, esophagus, stomach, and go throughot the body and become disseminated or invasive candidiasis, which is more difficult to treat, very dangerous, and can be septic too. I would ask your Dr. about this, maybe check for infections, do blood culture, oral culture, and have a chest x-ray too.

Keep vigilant, and hope you find answers. Good luck.

Thank you so much for replies. Im just reminding myself to calm down as surgeon seems not to be concerned. on nicotine patches now so no smoking. I did so well last time when i gave up but have smoked like a chimney since, anxiety just makes me smoke like mad, hopefully it is not too late and i will get. Good result. Thanks so much forvrespondingxxx

Hi paulb

Yes, had fbc and slightly elevated wh blood cells everything else fine. Treated thrush with over the counter meds. Had sinusitus prior and just used spray for a few days till nose stobbed hurting. Had a uti and took meds next sample satisfactory from lab. Now on amoxycillan for slight rattle in lungs suggesting chest infection. All this since xmas. Seems ive been constantly having something since thyroid went under four years ago. Everyone on this site is so brave, and courageous, giving others hope too. A hero each and every one xxx

Yeah... please continue to stop smoking.

Stop smoking FOREVER and do keep us posted.