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Just diagnosed with Squamous Cell Tonsil cancer without a biopsy
My husband had a sore throat for several months. He finally saw his internist who noticed a spot on his tonsil. He was referred to an ENT who specializes in throat areas. After his initial appointment there, he was told that his doctor had seen many scenarios like this and that he had tonsil cancer. He was then sent for a scan and when we met with his again, he said surgery was out because he is on Warafin and he has stenosis at the base of his neck. Since then the was supposed to have an angiogram to see what the condition of his stenosis was, I guess, but so far that has not been scheduled but they did call with a surgical date after telling me he was not a candidate for surgery. We live in Arizona but are headed to Tampa where we rent a house for a couple of months. I have since made an appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center for January 31st, several days after we arrive. All of his records are being sent there from Minnesota (where we are in the summer) and Arizona where we live in the winter. I went to Mayo in Rochester when I was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer last year but it is several hours from our home, it’s winter in Minnesota and the driving can be awful. Plus, from what I understand, he will have radiation and chemo five days a week for seven weeks so that is out. My husband wants to see sunshine instead of gray sky so Florida it is. Our daughter lives in Tampa so we rent a house each year for two months so this seems like a good fit. I still am baffled why there has been no biopsy done. Is that normal. They are calling this cancer without a biopsy hence our going to an actual cancer center. I am not fond of the health care in Arizona. The Mayo Pancreatic site has been a wonderful place for me to find out answers to questions I have so I am assuming this site will be much the same. I thank you in advance for any insight anyone might have. Happy New Year to all and let’s pray this year is a happy and healing year for all!
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Throat cancer requires a pathological diagnosis , done through a biopsy! No way I would agree to any treatment, especially radiation, without a confirmed malignant diagnosis.
My otolyngologist looked at mine and was 💯 sure it was cancer, but still did a biopsy. Get the ball rolling! Tonsil cancer I’ve been told spreads rapidly. I couldn’t have surgery because it grew. It took too long to get a diagnosis. Please don’t wait. Radiation and chemo are really tough!
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1 ReactionI know this is not your first rodeo and I must agree with others here that your husband needs to get biopsy results before treatment begins. He needs to know the type such as Squamous Cell and the sub-type as this will drastically change treatment regimes. This is 2023, not 1923 when we just zapped cancer and it either worked or it didn't. Somewhere there must be biopsy information. Check your husbands medical portal for test results.
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1 ReactionThe doctor told him they could only biopsy when they take the tonsils. I thought that was weird also as I had three biopsies done with my pancreatic diagnosis and that is a lot harder to get to than tonsils I would think.
No medical port with this system; another reason we are moving on to a full-fledged cancer center. Already Moffitt is requesting all medical records from his cardiologist and internist plus the ENT who ordered the endoscopy and scan. All we have to do is show up for his appointment.
Yes, a biopsy should be done. You should know if this is HPV+ SCC as this will determine your treatment path and give you better results.
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1 ReactionI think some good advice is to get a second opinion. That's what I did, and changed my care from the U of MN to Mayo. Why not try Mayo in Scottsdale?
Blessings to you in the new year.
@dgoinvestments, did I read elsewhere that your husband's care will be transferred to Florida? How are you both doing?
Yes, we made the choice to move it to Tampa as our daughter lives there and they have Moffitt Cancer Center near here. I truly believe that will be a good fit for us, especially surrounded by family.
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