Hoping to pass along some information that could be helpful to many of us, especially those over 50 (majority?). For sake of brevity I will start with the PSA, if it can be called that. I have cancer in my left tonsil and the lymph node below the angle of the jaw. I saw the head of department at UCLA Johnsoon Cancer Center who I informed me it is HPV-3 cancer which is almost epidemic among people over 50, me being the 3rd case that morning alone. It is very curable if caught early, which thankfully, mine was. But it can present in very unobtrusive ways, and progress to where it metastasizes before noticed. In my case it is 33 doses of radiation, 5/week and 6 chemotherapy sessions, 1/weekly and was told yesterday a 95-98% chance of recovery.
It was brought to my attention while camping near Mt. Shasta on June 3, 2024, while brushing my teeth in the morning I noticed my left neck at the angle of the jaw looked like an egg was deposited there. No pain, just swollen. Nearby Medical center ran blood panel and a scan with a diagnosis of infected tonsil and lymph node. Prescribed a course of antibiotics and advised if swelling didn’t go away to see an ENT specialist when I got back to town. After a second course of antibiotics which reduced the swelling but didn’t completely remove it I went through the hoops required to see a local ENT, taking me to the end of July to finally get that referral thanks to my PCP and his staff’s incompetence and ENTs being very busy in my region. Mid-August I saw an ENT who took 15 minutes to schedule a biopsy with the result being Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Decided a teaching hospital was the best option and quick search determined UCLA Johnson Cancer Center is #1 in state and top 4 in country for head and neck cancer, so that was chosen for treatment.
Here’s why it can be insidious; it can present in the cervix and vaginal areas for women, penile for men and soft, mucosal tissue in the mouth; tonsils, tongue, and related areas and anus for both sexes. In my case there was no pain or discomfort to signal trouble. If the area hadn’t become infected while I was camping at Shasta it could have been undiagnosed for some time. I just met a fellow patient who had pain in tongue and throat for 6 months and was misdiagnosed as something other other than cancer by a respected ENT at another major hospital in Southern California; when he finally came to UCLA it was diagnosed in minutes as HPV-3 cancer. He was in pain, I had none. I believe mine presented several months before early June at Shasta but as I had no pain it was ignored. Sometime in April or March I had a slight fever, runny nose etc, typical to allergies or mild cold. Tested negative for Covid but remember my lymph node was swollen very slightly, enough to feel but not noticeable.
To summarize, if you experience pain in mouth or tongue or the slightest swelling of lymph node(s) under the jaw git your azz to an ENT who is familiar with HPV-3 cancer, it is no joke. And if you have kids under 45 or grandchildren press them to get vaccinated, it’s been estimated that as much as 40% of the population is carrying HPV virus; not all variants will be carcinogenic but as my Dr said, it’s increasingly prevalent in population over 50.
I should be done before Thanksgiving and a couple months rest and recovery will hopefully see me on the water for winter steel. Meanwhile I’m living vicariously through you members reports, insights and insults
It was brought to my attention while camping near Mt. Shasta on June 3, 2024, while brushing my teeth in the morning I noticed my left neck at the angle of the jaw looked like an egg was deposited there. No pain, just swollen. Nearby Medical center ran blood panel and a scan with a diagnosis of infected tonsil and lymph node. Prescribed a course of antibiotics and advised if swelling didn’t go away to see an ENT specialist when I got back to town. After a second course of antibiotics which reduced the swelling but didn’t completely remove it I went through the hoops required to see a local ENT, taking me to the end of July to finally get that referral thanks to my PCP and his staff’s incompetence and ENTs being very busy in my region. Mid-August I saw an ENT who took 15 minutes to schedule a biopsy with the result being Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Decided a teaching hospital was the best option and quick search determined UCLA Johnson Cancer Center is #1 in state and top 4 in country for head and neck cancer, so that was chosen for treatment.
Here’s why it can be insidious; it can present in the cervix and vaginal areas for women, penile for men and soft, mucosal tissue in the mouth; tonsils, tongue, and related areas and anus for both sexes. In my case there was no pain or discomfort to signal trouble. If the area hadn’t become infected while I was camping at Shasta it could have been undiagnosed for some time. I just met a fellow patient who had pain in tongue and throat for 6 months and was misdiagnosed as something other other than cancer by a respected ENT at another major hospital in Southern California; when he finally came to UCLA it was diagnosed in minutes as HPV-3 cancer. He was in pain, I had none. I believe mine presented several months before early June at Shasta but as I had no pain it was ignored. Sometime in April or March I had a slight fever, runny nose etc, typical to allergies or mild cold. Tested negative for Covid but remember my lymph node was swollen very slightly, enough to feel but not noticeable.
To summarize, if you experience pain in mouth or tongue or the slightest swelling of lymph node(s) under the jaw git your azz to an ENT who is familiar with HPV-3 cancer, it is no joke. And if you have kids under 45 or grandchildren press them to get vaccinated, it’s been estimated that as much as 40% of the population is carrying HPV virus; not all variants will be carcinogenic but as my Dr said, it’s increasingly prevalent in population over 50.
I should be done before Thanksgiving and a couple months rest and recovery will hopefully see me on the water for winter steel. Meanwhile I’m living vicariously through you members reports, insights and insults
