Hello everyone. Since reading the information on this site about the link between HPV and Oral Cancer I asked David's Dr. about whether or not his tested positive for HPV.

His response was that it's not something they generally test for in hard palate tumors, that it was more common it is most common for tumors of the oropharynx or back of the throat, and treatment would be the same regardless. He is checking with pathology to see if there is a way to test it after the fact (his surgery was in January 09).

I wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar experience with having to ask for testing?

I had to scream but that was 3 years ago and there was only one U.S. testing facility, Johns Hopkins, and Moffitt really didn't care what caused my OC but I didn't care that they didn't care cause I DID.

Philly, simple answer YES, they can test a Jan 09 sample if they want to. I had to ask for two years before I got an okay, My doctors knew that base of tongue cancer often involves HPV but gave the same reasons back in 07 and 08 on not testing my 07 samples: no change in treatment plan plus the medical Catch 22: we don't usually do it so it's not customary and routine, so your insurance won't pay for it. I wish I could claim credit for being a persuasive and persistent advocate, but what changed was my CCC now is "routinely" testing pathology samples for HPV in oral cancers due to the research sponsored in part by OCF. Even though my surgery was in February 09 before they changed the pathology routine, they agreed to run the test. It was negative but I had guessed that from its coming back so strongly in the same place. I still haven't seen the insurance claim or bill but that's a posting for another thread in the future.

I was told the same thing about my insurance would probably not pay for the test (again 3 years ago) and I had to agree to pay for it if insurance didn't cover it and I was told it would cost appx $600. Bottom line is that my insurance covered it and I never did see a bill.

Thank you for your responses. I'll update once he gets back w/ the word from the pathologist.

I was tested at Ohio Sate James CCC and didn't have to ask. THey just added it to the bill that my insurance wouldn't pay . If anyone has a few thousand they can spare, LOL you can pay off Ohio State for me.

[quote=EzJim] THey just added it to the bill that my insurance wouldn't pay . [/quote]

Funny Jim but all to true.

Very true David. LOL Like I will be dead and that bill will never be paid. The Drs forgave theirs but the one year I needed to get out of the Hospital bill is 2007 ,, the only year I can't find. Tried to tell them my income is fixed and the only change is SS cost of living increases. Way over that head of hers LOL I sent 2006 and 2008 but she still wants 2007.