Infected/Swollen Tonsils, Lumps in Phayngeal Pillars/Oropharynx... is it Cancer?

[Beavermatic]

Hello,

Im a slightly overweight 24 yr old male who has been pretty fit most of his life and healthy. I've dipped (snuff) on and off for the past 7 or 8 years (and have quit numerous times, at one point for nearly a year), and smoked every now and then.... though I do not drink.

For the past several months, I've had what appears to be slightly enlarged left tonsil, and some bumps behind the tonsil on the pharyngeal wall. I was hoping its just lympathic tissue, as I also have raised/reddish lingual tonsils on both sides of my tongue, but Im a bnit worried.

The tonsil looks a bit puffy, and it has some white streaks on the top of it, like small white scratches.

I also still have my wisdom teeth, and while the top 2 have come in, the left bottom wisdom tooth is severely impacted, and I know it is swelling the gum area around my other back left molar and is often sore, (think its called Pericoronitis).

The only area where I usually feel any pain in my mouth is directly under my impacted left bottom wisdom tooth. Sometimes I can feel a bit of pain coming from the tonsil area, but not severe.


I've taken 2 pages of really good pictures of my oropharynx and the lumps/ affected tonsils, and you can see quite some detail.

You can view them here: (copy and paste link)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69718259@N00/

I just worried its cancer, and I'm open to any suggestions, as I have not been to a dentist beacause I do not have insurance, to get an opinion beforehand is my only option because it will be extrmely expensive.

Thank you,
Justin S.

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

My suggestion is that you visit an oral surgeon asap, get the wisdom tooth or teeth extracted and let him examine your throat.

[Beavermatic]

forgot to add that there was some halitosis for a while, seems to have went away, and that I ahve not had a dip in about 5 months, and no longer plan to...

[mike1105]

the pics are great, but i'd see an oral surgeon for a definitive diagnosis, and to evaluate the wisdom tooth you are complaining about.

[Beavermatic]

Thanks for the responses...

I will schedule an appointment with a a local Oral Surgeon


But I'm extremely nervous and scared, as (1) I'm afraid its cancer (like squamous cell), and if it is (2) that its going to require to horrid surgery, as I've never had a surgery in my life.

And most importantly, I know survival rates of mouth/throat cancer patients are extremely low.


It might be nothing, it may have been there my entire life and I just noticed it (as it has not changed form since I noticed it several months back), and the fact that i dipped for aseveral years on and off puts a bit of fear behind it (and
enough fear in me to where I'll never touch tobbacco again)...


Judging from the pictures, does it look pretty bad, like a cancer formation?

[mike1105]

you need to see an oral surgeon to definitively diagnose what you have found in your tonsillar area, which may be nothing at all. It would be unprofessional to even hint at a diagnosis (or to tell you it's nothing) over the internet because we cannot see you.