This is a VERY common story. Jon needs to pursue an answer to his symptoms that make sense. How would you advise Jon? Dear Eva, I am a 28 year old tobacco dipper and drinker. Two months ago, I started getting a lump in my throat when swallowing. Now it has become just pain when swallowing on the one side. …
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A Physician Receives an Oral Cancer Diagnosis – He Had No Idea Until It Was Stage IV
Dear Eva, Nine months ago I asked my dentist about the lesion on the floor of my mouth. He said it’s ‘tori’, a bony growth condition caused by grinding and stress. “Don’t worry about it.”Four months later I developed a horse voice. I am Vice-Chief of Anesthesiology at a cancer center so I asked a colleague to scope me. He …
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When will healthcare providers do a better job recognizing the signs of oral cancer???
Dear Eva, I just had this crazy idea to contact you for advice/help. I am a 5-year survivor of squamous-cell cancer, My treatment included a tonsillectomy and a maximum dose of radiation with chemo. Lately, from the moment I wake up, I have a super sweet/sour taste in my mouth and it continues all day. Food tastes like the taste …
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Radiation Mask Art
Oral cancer patients going through radiation wear a mask. It’s not one I ever want to wear again. It fit so tightly that my eyes were pressed shut and my skin popped out from the mesh holes leaving an impression for 30 minutes after treatment. The mask was marked with x’s so the radiation beams were lined up precisely. There …
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Have a persistent sore throat? It could be HPV Related Oral Cancer!
Here is yet another story of a relatively young man (53 years of age) who had a persistent sore throat. It’s the same ‘old’ story. He went to his physician who prescribed antibiotics. When the sore throat persisted, he was referred to an ENT who found the oral cancer, or to be more precise, oropharyngeal cancer. There may have been …