Email

peterbillias@hotmail

Peter Billias 221 Dartmouth Drive

Lake Worth Florida, 3346.

Matt my experience is similar to yours. I saw four surgeons over four years. The first three made me feel like I was wasting their time. The "Three Surgical Stooges" all called my mobile hard painless lump a cyst. My training and my brain was not comfortable with this diagnosis.
The fourth surgeon "Superman" told me it is most likely a cyst but if you want it gone I'll remove it. It came back "clear cell sarcoma". A very agressive form of connective tissue cancer and the rarest of the sarcomas.
My thought process for myself, family and patients is this: Any lump,bump, sore spot, discoloration etc. must be excisionally biopsied.
I would rather see more biopsies of benign or innocent lesions than mis/undiagnosed cancers. With that said we are not bilaterally symmetrical. It is not uncommon especially in the head and neck region to have small less than 2 cm bumps under the skin or mucosa.
If you don't like not knowing what this is, insist it be biopsied. If your current Doctor won't remove it find someone who will.
I hope this helps you.

Banish the bumps,
Mike

YAY, Mike! I like the way you speak, loud and clear.

I wonder if I can come to Bedford every six months for my checkup! How far do you think that is from Louisiana??

I no longer go to the dentist who misdiagnosed my SCC. The periodontist who assisted in my diagnosis suggested that I come to see him for a good, thorough checkup and cleaning every 3months, and that if I need a dentist, we'll find one then. This has worked very well so far.

August if the periodontist is willing to do that and you are comfortable with him/her that's a great plan. Periodontists have 2-3 years more training and in that time a lot of focus is on Oral medicine, oral path and surgical biopsy techniques. Sounds like you are in good hands. Ask him if he has any plans to incoorporate a VELscope into his practice. I posted a brief description of the instrument in the general section. Bravo to your periodontist!

I'm also sure the distance between Bedford and Louisiana is a lot shorter and smoother than the journey that got you here. If you ever do come by this way let me know.

Here's to your health,

Mike