Hello Dr. Joshi,

My 62 year old mother has been having trouble swallowing for the past 2 years. The problem seems to be getting worse and while there were benign nodules found in her thyroid, she saw an ENT today who found something else. He did a test today using a tube through the nose and throat with a camera and found that there is a very large "bulge" at the base of the tongue. He was very surprised to see this and has scheduled her for a biopsy on September 12. I'm wondering #1. if you have seen something similar to this before and what your experiences have been and #2. if waiting until September 12 (about 3 weeks away) is realistic or should this be done sooner?

Thank you!
Maria

Maria,

I understand how waiting can seem to last forever. You always hear the phrase "the sooner you catch it the better" so waiting three weeks is rough. I was told a similar time frame the first time; so I went to a different ENT and they got me in two days. In my case it was positive for cancer, so I was glad I didn't wait. By the time the original Biopsy date rolled around I was already recovering from surgery. I would relay my concerns to your mothers Doctor, it may be that they just prefer a certain place to perform the biopsy and may have the ability to schedule with another provider sooner. It could also be that they suspect something less sinister than cancer; and don't feel it's a priority. My recommendation is to relay your concerns to the Doctor; if they are unresponsive you can always try a different one. I wish you both the best and hope to see a "negative" response on the biopsy.

Thanks
Mike

Hello Maria

Go with Mike's advice. A three week delay is unacceptable unless the doctor can give a 100% guarantee that it is not a cancer!

Best wishes
Vinod