Hi. I'm new to this forum. About 2 weeks ago I went to the GP with a swollen tonsil. I had also noticed a round slightly whitish area above the tonsil and asked her to look at it. She sent me to an Ear, Nose, Throat guy and he says it's a papilloma. He lifted it with a tongue depressor, and it actually sticks out about 1/4". He doesn't think it's cancerous but is going to biopsy it Dec. 16. Now I've been reading about this on this site and find that it is caused by a virus, HPV, and may indeed be cancerous, if not now, in the future. I have been a social smoker (mostly weekends) and drinker, which I know are risk factors. I quit the cigs totally a little over 2 weeks ago, but my husband is a regular smoker, so I'm still exposed to 2nd hand smoke. The ENT said that even if this thing is cancer, it has been caught early and should be quite treatable, but I am naturally worried and apprehensive. Can anyone share a similar experience or offer any insight/info to calm my jangled nerves? I will greatly appreciate any helpful responses.

Thanks.

Hello Paloma

A papilloma is not a cancer. It is growth caused by the presence of a vrus of which the over a 100 types, of which only a handful are related to cancers. (See the article on HPV for more info.) So relax! Only worry when you really have to.

Best wishes
Vinod

Thanks for the information - and the encouragement. Hopefully this will be only a scare and I will have learned something from it. Several things actually.

Thanks again,

Paloma

Sounds very much like my symtoms, it took 7 doctors to work out thatit was a tumour etc
so do persist

So once they figured out what it was, what happened next? Did you get a biopsy? How did that go? Was it cancerous?

Thanks for your input.