Early diagnosis is important to treating mouth cancer successfully.

Tonsil cancer can present in different ways, often mimicking a 'run of the mill' sore throat or even ear ache. It wold be useful to know how the different mouth cancers present. I would be grateful if you could answer the appropriate questions.

For those who had a tonsil cancer, how did it present? Choose as many answers as did apply to your own case, (or if you are a carer: to the one you care or cared for).

Question:
Had a sore throat?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Had difficulty swallowing?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Had a feeling of something stuck in throat?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Had ear ache?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Had an enlarged tonsil?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Had swelling in neck (lymph node)?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
Felt vaguely unwell (tired, 'out of sorts')?

Choices:
Yes
No

Question:
How long after you noticed 'something not right', was it before you were referred to a specialist?

Choices:
within 2 weeks
between 2 - 4 weeks
between 5 - 8 weeks
between 2 - 4 months
more than 4 moths

 

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

Based on 7 participants so far, the frequency of presentation as reported above is:

• Feeling vaguely unwell (86%)
• Enlarged tonsil (86%)
• Swelling in neck (57%)
• Feeling of something stuck in throat (57%)
• Difficulty swallowing (57%)
• Sore throat (29%)
• Ear ache (43%)

The delay before you were referred to a specialist after you noticed 'something not right':

• within 2 weeks (29%)
• between 2 - 4 weeks (10%)
• between 5 - 8 weeks (29%)
• between 2 - 4 months (14%)
• more than 4 months (14%)

Only 39% were referred with 1 month!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Dr Vinod K Joshi,

The trouble is not just the delay in referal, but the length of time taken for tests. My mother was seen by a specialist in a week, but the MRI scan took two months to be performed (which they said was clear) and another two months before she had the tonsil removed.

I must admit im deeply dissatisfied with the NHS, it seems to be failing on almost every level as an organisation, and while people moan about private healthcare systems in other countries, they clearly seem to work more effectivly, given their higher survival rates.

By specialist - i mean someone vaguely competent and noy some uselessly pathetic registrar who doesn't know his arse from his elbow!!

At THE earliest opportunity see an ENT consultant personally even if you have to pay!
With money!!
A dopey registrar makes you pay too

with your life possibly.

sorry to be negative - but I assure you it happens.
tony k

These are the kind of issues we need patient advocacy for! I need your help to help me help yourselves. So please get involved with MCF and make the mouth cancer patients voice and concerns heard through the cancer groupings like Cancer52 and Cancer Collaborative Group that we are members of and attend conferences like Britain Against Cancer 2009.