Fuck! I may have cancer

[KonstantinosM]

I'm definitely eating healthier. I wonder If I can test myself using a microscope by just brushing out a few cells. As I said in a previous post, due to the color of the thing it's probably not cancerous. It's most likely a bad canker sore. I've never personally had one of those. The pain is very annoying still though. It switching from burning to stabbing sometimes.

Something to note, I eat hot stuff. Right after I ate some spiced up food, there was less pain for a while which was surprising.

Some people have it worse than I, one of my favorite artists on YouTube, Dan Bull has audiovisual problems (hearing cracks constantly and eye pain) and as he noted he is an audiovisual artist. It would totally suck to be a professional taster and then get this thing.

That's the video he made about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFRGPe04kjQ

Personally I always like to self diagnose and treat. When my big toe broke, I fixed it myself, same when I broke the smallest toe too. When I broke my nose, I went to the hospital. I'm originally from Greece where there is universal healthcare. Here in the US, a doctor checked me and the hospital charged us over 1,000 dollars which made no sense to me. They didn't even have to do anything to my nose, it healed on its own.

If I read a couple of books, I'm sure I can get a small biopsy or a couple of cells and test them under the microscope. So I'll know even before I get to a doctor (if the pain stays past December 26 that is)




Above is what I'd be looking for.

[Ruzka]

Damn, I sincerely hope that it is really something less serious. Best of luck man.

[mistress_magpie]

I am in Plymouth, UK - please PM if you would like a chat-buddy or, if you're nearby, if there is anything practical I can do.

FUCK cancer!

[dwdoc]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most likely diagnosis esp. if you are a smoker. Have you had your CT scan and biopsy yet? Excision and radiation can be curative. Best wishes!

[TiagoTiago]

Would the cancer cells be on the surface though?

[KonstantinosM]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most likely diagnosis esp. if you are a smoker. Have you had your CT scan and biopsy yet? Excision and radiation can be curative. Best wishes!

I've only smoked for a couple of years, I'm not a smoker, most likely it's not cancer. The pain is bad though and the general consensus is if something like that doesn't heal within 14 days you should get it checked out. By the color of it, it is most likely not a cancer. As I'm looking into it, it seems less likely than it did in the start. I'm also finding out that different foods have different effects on the pain.

If I eat nearly any spicy food the pain subsides for a couple of hours.

The most painful food is nutella. It's not easy to tell but I think I'm getting better. The lump seems smaller I've had it longer than I can recall. While this is very unlikely to be a cancer this has been all in all a positive experience. Now I now that oral cancer is a very common one. Every single hour a person dies because of it. And what to do about it. If the pain subsides before the 26th, and I hope it will I'll see my dentist on February or March. Other than that trained professionals are pretty good at guessing which is which but I don't have that kind of knowledge.

One surprising detail that I've found is that HPV 17, could be the primary cause of that cancer so oral sex may increase your chances of getting oral cancer 6-fold. I have to say I'm guilty of it but I don't think she had any disease, so it's probably not that. Smoking is also a big factor. Something else that may be of interest is that throat cells (cells in the esophagus) are very good at killing cancer via programmed cell death (autophagy). There are evolutionary traits that help certain parts of humans be more resistant to cancer either by the autophagy just mentioned or if we think about our skin as having a shield for harmful radiation (although this is fighting a cause and not a cancer) and the inside of the mouth seems to be an ideal spot for the body to put on a fight.

Then again there is this bit of text (which I picked since my problem is at the very side of the tongue which is more like tissue from the esophagus rather then the one found on the tongue) :

Cancers of the esophagogastric region are highly malignant tumors with five-year survival rates of less than 16%.1 Research has shown that 88% of patients, selected for curative resection for esophagogastric cancer, already have disseminated tumor cells,2 that can remain dormant for variable periods, before emerging as aggressive, drug-resistant metastases.3 Improved systemic therapeutic options are therefore required to effectively eliminate primary and recurrent esophageal cancer.

http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/dgozuacik/selected-publications/files/2009/01/2004-oncogene-review3.pdf (pretty old document on autophagy (2004) I love autophagy, like our cells have a protocol for cannibalizing themselves.

[KonstantinosM]

Would the cancer cells be on the surface though?

I think the brush technique with biopsies is not a standalone one. The other two either include cell aspiration with a needle (pulling the cells with a needle from various places to get a good sample) and a microscopic round cutter that removes a plug of cells. All those newer methods heal right up. My stepfather always gets murdered when they get biopsies from him though so that makes me wonder.

The area can also be tested for certain kinds of bacteria which thrive on cancer cells. I have the theory that if someone's nose and eyes where trained enough, a cancer patient could spit in a cup and let the bacteria stay overnight and then just by looking at and smelling (yucky I know) you could test for cancer. Kind of like trained service dogs can smell a seizure coming in or certain kinds of cancer.

[specgamer]

Hey dude, I have a friend that survived cancer a tumor in their stomach or something, he had this radiation surgery or something.

Good Luck!

[TiagoTiago]

If you're going the DIY route, perhaps it could be a good idea to look into bee-based smell detectors. Bees are much easier and cheaper to train than dogs and got quite a nose.



edit: though i dunno where you would get the reference smells to train them on...

[xkeyscore89]

Where do you think it is?

Oral cancer, at the base of the tongue, I've had pain for a while but I don't remember exactly how long. There is a lump and a deformation on the top left base of the tongue. It's really far in but quite big.

Of course it might as well not be cancer.

Sorry, if this has already been discussed but have you ever smoked cigarettes or used chewing tobacco for any length of time?  Do you have a family history of cancer, oral or otherwise?  How long has the mass been on your tongue and has it always been painful?

[dwdoc]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most likely diagnosis esp. if you are a smoker. Have you had your CT scan and biopsy yet? Excision and radiation can be curative. Best wishes!

I've only smoked for a couple of years, I'm not a smoker, most likely it's not cancer. The pain is bad though and the general consensus is if something like that doesn't heal within 14 days you should get it checked out. By the color of it, it is most likely not a cancer. As I'm looking into it, it seems less likely than it did in the start. I'm also finding out that different foods have different effects on the pain.

If I eat nearly any spicy food the pain subsides for a couple of hours.

The most painful food is nutella. It's not easy to tell but I think I'm getting better. The lump seems smaller I've had it longer than I can recall. While this is very unlikely to be a cancer this has been all in all a positive experience. Now I now that oral cancer is a very common one. Every single hour a person dies because of it. And what to do about it. If the pain subsides before the 26th, and I hope it will I'll see my dentist on February or March. Other than that trained professionals are pretty good at guessing which is which but I don't have that kind of knowledge.

One surprising detail that I've found is that HPV 17, could be the primary cause of that cancer so oral sex may increase your chances of getting oral cancer 6-fold. I have to say I'm guilty of it but I don't think she had any disease, so it's probably not that. Smoking is also a big factor. Something else that may be of interest is that throat cells (cells in the esophagus) are very good at killing cancer via programmed cell death (autophagy). There are evolutionary traits that help certain parts of humans be more resistant to cancer either by the autophagy just mentioned or if we think about our skin as having a shield for harmful radiation (although this is fighting a cause and not a cancer) and the inside of the mouth seems to be an ideal spot for the body to put on a fight.

Then again there is this bit of text (which I picked since my problem is at the very side of the tongue which is more like tissue from the esophagus rather then the one found on the tongue) :

Cancers of the esophagogastric region are highly malignant tumors with five-year survival rates of less than 16%.1 Research has shown that 88% of patients, selected for curative resection for esophagogastric cancer, already have disseminated tumor cells,2 that can remain dormant for variable periods, before emerging as aggressive, drug-resistant metastases.3 Improved systemic therapeutic options are therefore required to effectively eliminate primary and recurrent esophageal cancer.

http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/dgozuacik/selected-publications/files/2009/01/2004-oncogene-review3.pdf (pretty old document on autophagy (2004) I love autophagy, like our cells have a protocol for cannibalizing themselves.

Technically cancer at the base of the tongue (even on the side of the tongue) is in the category of "head and neck" cancer not esophagogastric cancer and carries a slightly better prognosis. The pharynx extends approximately 15cm below the bottom teeth before the esophagus begins.

"Head and neck cancer is highly curable if detected early, usually with some form of surgery, but radiation therapy may also play an important role, while chemotherapy is often ineffective."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_and_neck_cancer

[xkeyscore89]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most likely diagnosis esp. if you are a smoker. Have you had your CT scan and biopsy yet? Excision and radiation can be curative. Best wishes!

I've only smoked for a couple of years, I'm not a smoker, most likely it's not cancer. The pain is bad though and the general consensus is if something like that doesn't heal within 14 days you should get it checked out. By the color of it, it is most likely not a cancer. As I'm looking into it, it seems less likely than it did in the start. I'm also finding out that different foods have different effects on the pain.

If I eat nearly any spicy food the pain subsides for a couple of hours.

The most painful food is nutella. It's not easy to tell but I think I'm getting better. The lump seems smaller I've had it longer than I can recall. While this is very unlikely to be a cancer this has been all in all a positive experience. Now I now that oral cancer is a very common one. Every single hour a person dies because of it. And what to do about it. If the pain subsides before the 26th, and I hope it will I'll see my dentist on February or March. Other than that trained professionals are pretty good at guessing which is which but I don't have that kind of knowledge.

One surprising detail that I've found is that HPV 17, could be the primary cause of that cancer so oral sex may increase your chances of getting oral cancer 6-fold. I have to say I'm guilty of it but I don't think she had any disease, so it's probably not that. Smoking is also a big factor. Something else that may be of interest is that throat cells (cells in the esophagus) are very good at killing cancer via programmed cell death (autophagy). There are evolutionary traits that help certain parts of humans be more resistant to cancer either by the autophagy just mentioned or if we think about our skin as having a shield for harmful radiation (although this is fighting a cause and not a cancer) and the inside of the mouth seems to be an ideal spot for the body to put on a fight.

Then again there is this bit of text (which I picked since my problem is at the very side of the tongue which is more like tissue from the esophagus rather then the one found on the tongue) :

Cancers of the esophagogastric region are highly malignant tumors with five-year survival rates of less than 16%.1 Research has shown that 88% of patients, selected for curative resection for esophagogastric cancer, already have disseminated tumor cells,2 that can remain dormant for variable periods, before emerging as aggressive, drug-resistant metastases.3 Improved systemic therapeutic options are therefore required to effectively eliminate primary and recurrent esophageal cancer.

http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/dgozuacik/selected-publications/files/2009/01/2004-oncogene-review3.pdf (pretty old document on autophagy (2004) I love autophagy, like our cells have a protocol for cannibalizing themselves.

Technically cancer at the base of the tongue (even on the side of the tongue) is in the category of "head and neck" cancer not esophagogastric cancer and carries a slightly better prognosis.

"Head and neck cancer is highly curable if detected early, usually with some form of surgery, but radiation therapy may also play an important role, while chemotherapy is often ineffective."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_and_neck_cancer

If it's highly curable by excising my tongue and removing part of my jaw, I think I'll still be worried about my mental prognosis.

[dwdoc]

Just one example but Michael Douglas had cancer of the tongue and he seems to be doing pretty well.

[TheGr33k]

Sad to hear that, hope it is not cancer! But if it is do you know an estimated time you have had it for? Hope it was caught early hmabd have not spread. When My son was 15 months old he was thought to have cancer. Luckily it wasnt. It is a sad and dreadful experience

[romerun]

i read it a few days ago that one can live through cancer by eating fruit before meal, or while stomach is empty

[beetcoin]

i read it a few days ago that one can live through cancer by eating fruit before meal, or while stomach is empty

please don't tell someone that. this is how steve jobs died. if he had his treatment done when he found out, he would have had a really high chance of surviving.

[romerun]

jobs chose the hippy path

[BitcoinFr34k]

jobs chose the hippy path

And the hippy path was a dead end....

Medical treatment is always the best option.

[beetcoin]

jobs chose the hippy path

kind of funny to me that was a hippy.. the way he ran apple, he seemed like anything but.

[KonstantinosM]

Technically cancer at the base of the tongue (even on the side of the tongue) is in the category of "head and neck" cancer not esophagogastric cancer and carries a slightly better prognosis. The pharynx extends approximately 15cm below the bottom teeth before the esophagus begins.

"Head and neck cancer is highly curable if detected early, usually with some form of surgery, but radiation therapy may also play an important role, while chemotherapy is often ineffective."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_and_neck_cancer

Yeah, if it's anything, it's oral.

Where do you think it is?

Oral cancer, at the base of the tongue, I've had pain for a while but I don't remember exactly how long. There is a lump and a deformation on the top left base of the tongue. It's really far in but quite big.

Of course it might as well not be cancer.

Sorry, if this has already been discussed but have you ever smoked cigarettes or used chewing tobacco for any length of time?  Do you have a family history of cancer, oral or otherwise?  How long has the mass been on your tongue and has it always been painful?

I've smoked cigarettes for a couple of years many years earlier. I've only used chewing tobacco once. It has been painful for many days, I haven't counted exactly but It will be way more than two weeks on the 26th so if the pain doesn't stop and the thing doesn't go away that is when I'll be going to the doctor. If it stops I'll be going February/March. It's painful and immensely annoying but the pain isn't becoming stronger or anything. It hasn't always been painful and I hadn't noticed the lump although there where some things that looked like normal tongue geometry on each side of the base of my tongue. This thing is on one side even further.

The lump is about half an inch across. Although I can't really see of it because to see it, I have to dry my tongue and gently kind of pull it out.

The most likely diagnosis would be canker sore because of the white color. Cancer is most likely red or red with white specs. Canker sores are also known to hurt like hell. Cancer is something only a professional can diagnose. In my case I will wait until 2 weeks have passed which is what the general consensus is and then get it checked out. If it's a canker sore at this point they'll give me something to make it go away faster.

Now it seems like one of my cervical lymph nodes (left side nearly directly below the ear) is getting swollen and a little bit painful.) Swollen lymph nodes happen with canker sores.

So, if it keeps up for 9 more days, I'm going to the doctor.

Beetcoin, don't worry I'm unaffected by hippie advice when it comes to matters of health. I'm not one to wear a crystal and drink extremely diluted onion juice. The people who believe water has memory are ridiculous. I love what Tim Minchin says about that. I'm not sure I can remember it verbatim Through the magic of the internet I found the lyrics: "And whilst its memory of a long lost drop of onion juice is infinite
It somehow forgets all the poo it's had in it!"

This forum is pretty awesome, technical discussions about BTC, trading, novelty products, crypto announcements, millions of dollars of pizza, and now a thread about a potential oral cancer. This thread is a little too Off-topic even for the Off-topic category.

Sad to hear that, hope it is not cancer! But if it is do you know an estimated time you have had it for? Hope it was caught early hmabd have not spread. When My son was 15 months old he was thought to have cancer. Luckily it wasnt. It is a sad and dreadful experience

TheGr33k, what kind of cancer did they think your son had? Are you in Greece? If so where, I'm also from there!