is it possible not cancer?

[Maher41]

I'm a 42 years old male, about 5 month ago, I had a severe sore throut very hi fever that would not come down with Motrine Tylonol. fever mantained 40 C degrees and with motrain will stay at 39.5 C. It all started on Thursaday with a feeling of havenies in my throut and by friday morning I woke up with chilles hight fever and sore throut that will radiate to my ears wehn trying to swallow. I spent all friday and all night with hight fever and sore throut. on Saturday I went to doctor and they did a culture for streo throut that came out negative, the throut was red but no other findings. the DR gave me an antibiotics shut and pills for ten days and asked to come back the next day if things stay the same. fever went down to 38.5 C with 3 pilles of motrain at a time. The next day i went back for the second antibiotics shut and gradully by monday the fever started to subside but the sore throut took about 2 weeks to get better. since then and for about a month I always had pain in my right side of my front neck that is vertical and into my jaw and occanssional dull ache in my ear with stiff neck and ache throut.

about four weeks after this, I went to my doctor for the pain that I'm having so she orderd a CT scan for my neck. the result of the ct scan showed Mildly enlarged Lymph nodes scattered on both sides of the neck roughly equally on both sides and are present in the submandibular region, the largest node on the left measuers about 1.05 CM and is seen anterior to the Jugular vein at the level of the hyoid. There is also soft tissue prominence in the area of the valleculae.
The conclusion of this scan was: Some Cervical adenopathy is present and appears to be fairly symmetric side to side, there is also soft tissue Fullness at the region of the base of the tongue and Valleculae, this may also relate to lymphoid hyperplasia, althought it is difficult to exclude a mass in this region, Correlation with direct visulization is recomanded.

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[Vivek V Gurudutt, MD]

You have a finding on the ct scan that needs to be further evaluated.  The scan itself cannot give you a diagnosis of cancer.  You need to have the mass biopsied to know what it is.  It is true that an upper respiratory infection similar to what you had can cause enlarged lymph nodes that may persist for sometime.  However, as you know, cancer can also lead to enlarged lymph nodes.  You should definitely have this mass biopsied to get an answer and appropriate care.  I am glad that you have an ent physician that is trying to get you efficient and appropriate care.  Good luck.  

[Maher41]

My Dr reffered me to ENT and I was seen by his asisstance who preformed a endoscopy of my nose and throut and told me that she can see some fullness and the area is irretated. after telling her that I have reflux and I take omeparzol for it she gave me a dose of 2 weeks Amoxilene 825mg and asked me that I take my reflux medication and repeat the CT scan after 3 weeks.

I so did, after 4 weeks I repeated the CT scan in a different facillaty then the first sacn. and was scheduled for an appoitment with the ENT after two weeks, the 2nd scan result showed the following:

Base of the tongue mass which occupies the vallecula bilaterally althought silghtly larger on the right. The mass mesaures 2.5 CM in transverse X 2.0 CM in AP dimension.

Bilateral level II to level IV lymphadenopathy. the largest on the left jugulodigastric lymph node measures 1.6 CM and the largest on the right mesaures 1.6 cm, several subcentimeter level V nodes also noted bilaterally. small posterior neck nodes are noted the largest on the left measureing 1.0 CM

Conclusion was :

1- Base of the tongue/vallecular lesion consistent with head and neck squamous cell Carcinoma, Lymphoma is also a possible differential consideratin, Biopsy is Recommended.

My ENT DR called me and asked me to make may visite to his office this week rather then in 2 weeks.

I went and he took another look and he told me that he is not 100% convenced that it is cancer and he wantetd me to go for a biobsy in 2 weeks. when I asked him what is persantge he said 50/ 50 %.

So if possible if the MD in this forum can make sence to me on this.

Thanks

[Maher41]

Had the biopsy this morning, for some reason did not freeze it and will not know the result until my next appoitement in 2 weeks. so basicly I have another 2 weeks to wait.

Shouldnt they looked at it under the microscope today? why did nt they do that?

[DSPoole]

A related discussion, Is it too soon for doctor to confirm as lymphoma was started.