Hello

Hi Jane and welcome.

I was diagnosed base of tongue cancer in May 2018 and my GP surgery didn't take my symptoms seriously either.  There was nothing anyone could see - just my weird voice and an odd sore throat that didn't feel right.  After various visits and antibiotics my parents took the matter into their own hands and paid for me to see their ENT consultant.

The biopsy should confirm the type of tumour.  Most oropharyngeal cancers are HPV driven and respond very well to treatment.

Once the hospital team have the results of all your scans and the biopsy they will meet up to discuss the appropriate treatment for you.

Please do not be tempted to  Google things at this stage.  You will be completely misled and end up frightening yourself silly.  I know - I did.  Unfortunately I didn't find this forum soon enough!

You'll find lots of great support and advice here from people who have been through similar diagnoses and treatments.

All the best.

Linda x

Thanks for taking the time to respond Linda, that's exactly what I found, weird voice, never knowing whether it would be there or not when I spoke, a sore throat that was not like a sore throat, I've had ear pain too. MRI showed a 3cm tumour, but that's all I know at the moment. I've got 2 appointments with different Maxfax consultants at different hospitals, but I think ENT are doing my biopsy because Maxfax have got a 2-3 month wait.  

Jane x

Hi Jane. 
I was in the same boat. I found a tumour on my tongue and didn’t get an MRI and biopsy for 2 months. My treatment didn’t start till 4 months after I found it. A couple of months shouldn’t make any clinical difference but if course mentally it can be torture. 
You’re in the system now and I’m sure the biopsy will get done as soon as your scan results are through. 
There’s nothing to be done til you have a diagnosis so stick around and let us know how it goes 

Best wishes 

Unknown said:

Maxfax have got a 2-3 month wait.  

I would push that. It seems completely unreasonable. I got my biopsy a week after my MRI results. Keep ringing your consultants surgery 

Thanks Dani, ENT said they would do the biopsy in 2-3 weeks so I didn't have to wait for Maxfax. I've had the added trauma of my Dad passing away last Sunday, so I've been hoping that I'd avoid an appointments on the day of his funeral, although will go to hospital appointments over going to the funeral if it comes to it. 

Oh Jane, I'm so sorry about your dad.

Linda x

So sorry about your dad. As if you didn’t have enough on your plate. Hug. 

So sorry Jane; I had to deal with a bereavement while coping with a diagnosis in 2020, it's just horrible, really do feel for you.

You've found the right place though, the people on here are wonderful x

Hi Jane,

Welcome & sorry you are here. My cancer was in tonsil, but very similar symptoms. I started with them in the June, finally scanned & biopsied December. Treatment started Feb, and so far so good almost a year later. Good you've got biopsies sooner than original estimate, the waiting drives you up the wall! 

So sorry about your Dad. 

Sending hugs, 

Gill 

Hi Jane welcome to our group sorry you’ve found yourself on here. Am so sorry to hear about your dad as well. As others have said please keep off google stick to us on here we’ve first hand experience. The waiting is the worst part once you get treatment plan everything fall s into place. Try and keep busy remember there’s lots of us on here who have been treated successfully snd are happily living our lives. We will all help you as much as we can.  The C word is one none of us want to hear but or o pharyngeal  tumours do respond very well to treatment. 

hugs Hazel x