Mouth/gum cancer

Hi Gemmary 

Yes you are in the right place 

There’s not much I can add at present save to say that 90% of referrals turn out to not be cancer so hold on to that 
If you do then there is plenty of help here should you need it. 
Fingers crossed everything is ok. 

Hi yes you’re in the right area try not to stress easy to say hard to do. The 2 week referral is the quickest way of being seen over 90 % of referrals aren’t cancer. Keep off google please you’ll scare yourself.silly info in there isn’t always verified. It’s good your hubby’s dentist is being proactive. If he us unlucky enough to join us remember head and neck cancers respond  well ti treatment.

 keep busy both if you I watched mindless tv while waiting fir my referral 

Hazel x

PS. I’ve just read your profile

You've really been through the mill. How are you now ? 

Good evening Gemmary, to be honest, there is nothing we can say until you have seen the consultant, hopefully its nothing to worry about but if you are diagnosed with mouth/gum cancer then please let us know as we will be able to advise and help. The good thing is that your dentist has noticed something not quite right so he/she is just referring you so you get the best diagnosis so well done to your dentist, and fingers crossed for the check-up. All the best.

                                                                        Chris 

Yes, I'm aware I'm fortunate, but would have been found 18m earlier if there wasn't a shortage of dentists!! I think the fact I'm being investigated for sjogren's has some bearing here as well. I really wanted some info to ask whoever I might get to see, so I get the right answers. 

Hi for my cancer I saw ent I had a fine needle aspiration as I had a lump in my collarbone.3 years later my dentist saw something she didn’t like and referred me to max fax department who look at the front of mouth area lips cheeks and jaws. I was seen very quickly seen  turned out ti be nothing as I thought it was nothing due to my radiotherapy I suffered from burning tongue syndrome and had inadvertently scratched my gums with a ryvita cracker. But I had an X-ray a through examination by consultants and was cleared. So I would imagine you will be seen by the maxillofacial team at your hospital. 
Hazel 

Gemmary said:

I really wanted some info to ask whoever I might get to see, so I get the right answers. 

Hi again. The consultant you will see is likely to be a Maxillofacial surgeon. You’ll get a thorough oral exam and a feel of your neck to start with. If something suspicious is seen then the next likely step would be to take a biopsy and send you for a head and neck MRII

The consultant may not say what they think though if it’s obvious they might say they think it’s cancer.  If anything is found there then you’ll probably get a chest CT while the team meet to discuss how treatment would proceed. 

Biopsy results usually take anything between two to four weeks. You’ll be called in to discuss them. 

What to ask is difficult because it’s possible you’ll just be told that you have to wait for results. 
On the other hand it msy be obvious to the consultant that there is no abnormality and you’ll be discharged back to your dentist. 
Sorry I can’t be more helpful. 

Hi Gemmary

Sorry that you are finding yourself on this forum but you are in the right place. It is a really worrying time for you until you get a definitive diagnosis. I do hope that the tests come back negative but if the worst comes to the worst there is lots of support on this forum for you.

I had an ulcer on my gum that would not heal and my dentist also referred me on. A biopsy was taken when I was in the consultant's office and this came back as positive for cancer. I was then sent for a CT scan and an MRI. It was a bit of a whirl as it all happened so quickly. I then had surgery followed up by radiotherapy.

Take someone with you if possible to your appointment as it is hard to remember everything as your head gets into a real muddle. Take a pen and paper and ask all the questions you have. There is nothing worse than leaving the appointment and then thinking of questions you want the answer to. Ask things like 'what scans will I have, if they come back positive what are the next steps, if I need an op how long will I be in hospital? and anything else you want to know.

I am now on my 5 year regular check ups and am happily enjoying my life although at the time when you are in the treatment mode it all seems to be going on forever but you get there.

I do hope that your results turn out to be negative for cancer.

Sending you my very best wishes.

Lyn

Thanks all. I don't actually think its cancer (but always a niggle!) as I had a head MRI in Dec for ENT, sinus etc. So would have thought this would have shown up, unless they didn't do the mouth. So I will (im)patiently wait!!

Gemmary said:

I had a head MRI in Dec for ENT, sinus etc.

That would have done your whole head and neck. Hopefully your dentist is just being super careful