my boyfriend has smoked, used smokeless tobacco and excessively drank alcohol for years. his risk for mouth cancer is very high. recently he quit tobacco and has cut back drinking. but, he keeps finding these bumps on the inside of his upper lip. it's one bump with a smaller bump next to it. they're red and he pops them and they keep on coming back to the same spot. we are both very scared that it could me mouth cancer. does anyone know if this sounds like any kind of cancer? we want to go get it checked out, but we don't know what kind of doctor to go to. plus, he doesn't have insurance. does anyone have any idea what something like this would cost to have examined and what kind of doctor to call? we are in the virginia beach area, if anyone knows any good doctors around here. thanks so much for your time

Brandy,
these are well known high risk behaviors. Even mouthwash with alcohol in it increases the cancer risk. If he has drank "excessively" for years then TOTAL abstinence is the ONLY plan that will work, "cutting back" is nonsense and reeks of rescuing/enabling and co-dependency. Plead with him to join AA and quit drinking.

Even if it is not cancer - these are abnormal conditions and a wake up call.

We can't tell you, over the internet, what these bumps are but my advice is to make an appointment with an ENT or head & neck surgeon, with cancer experience, and have an examination and biopsy (if appropriate). The exam should cost around 75 bucks. Unless it's suspicious, they won't biopsy it. A biopsy is around $300.00.

Can he go to the county health care system or is he a veteran?

Hi Brandy,

I am a dentist and I'm happy to read that your boyfriend has stopped smoking and I second Gary's good advice about the alcohol.

Another option for getting him checked would be an oral surgeon. This is something that shouldn't be avoided due to cost.

You don't mention what happens when he "pops" the bumps. It could be something as simple as an ulser or could possibly even be related to an abscessed tooth. The abscess is more likely if it is on the gums over a tooth as opposed to on the inside of the lip. There is no way anyone can know this without him being examined.

Good luck and please let us know what you find out.

Jerry

Hello Brandy,

Welcome to the Oral Cancer Foundation. It is the most informative website on oral cancer on the web and it's free.

The cost of a doctors visit and or biospy should have no bearing on having it done. He should make an appointment with either an oral surgeon or a ENT. If it is SSC cancer the earlier you catch it the better. There are many hospitals who write off the cost for people without insurance. Call your local social services department for some help. Thats what there for, Helping prople.

Please keep us posted as you follow up with what you find out. It may be something very simple that can be treated successfully. It just doesn't sound like cancer to me but I'm no doctor. All of what I have learned about oral cancer I have learned from this forum and it's many loyal members.

I do second what Gary mentioned about scaling back. Youe either a smoker or not. Your either a drinker or not. These are the two biggest risk factors for getting oral cancer.

I see you are member number #2390, I am member
#853 and joined in July of 03. We continue to grow and the goal is to get the word out,
"EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES". I'm hoping you won't need to use this forum after his DX.

All my Best, Danny Boy

Just getting ready to go on a trip and have to keep this short, but please do a search of these boards for the word mucocele. The occur frequnetly on the inside of the lips, you can pop them and burst them, and they frequently recur immediately in the same location after they have been ruptured manually.

Wow! I am amazed at how helpful and friendly everyone is on this site! Thank you so much. Jerry, I asked him this morning what happens when he pops the bumps. He says nothing, just a little bit of liquid comes out. He also says it doesn't hurt at all. In my first post, I had said that they were red bumps. He told me this morning they are actually white bumps. I am currently looking up an oral surgeon and ENT in this area. I just looked up mucocele and it looks like that may be it. I've only looked at one picture of it so far though. So I'm going to research it further. If it is a mucocele, is that anything serious? Is there any type of cancer that looks like a mucocele? Do you guys thing we should still make an appointment if we think that is what it is? Maybe just to double check. Thanks again everyone for all your help!!

A mucocele is a small blister that forms as fluid builds up under the uppermost layer of cells in the tissue lining the mouth. It is only a cloged minor duct. There are tens of thousands of them lining the squamous cells of the mouth (and other areas of the body where the tissue stays moist) and they are there to keep things moist/lubiricated. They routinely appear clear. Untill unclogged they will reappear in the same logcation. They are nothing to worry about. You can't diagnose things from the web or comments from people like us who are not doctors, and have never seen the person in real life. Perhpas Dr. Wilke is a really good exception to the rule, However, I think even he would agree that not having actually seen the condition in real life, even his advice must be taken as a path of exploration rather than one of certainty. So while this is likely what it is, the motto around here is "When in doubt...check it out."

Brandy,

Brian is right and as I said before, he must be seen to find out for sure. The peace of mind that you and he will hopefully get, will be worth the cost, whatever it is.

Make sure he stops drinking and doesn't go back to smoking. Too many people do go back after the scare is over.

Jerry