Tongue cancer

Hi everyone. I hope someone can help me. I’m 33 years almost 34. Iv suffered with health anxiety for a long time but the last 3 years I have really had it under control and been able to rationalise my thoughts over symptoms. 

Just under 2 weeks i have had a few symptoms which are frightening me into thinking I have oral cancer on the tongue. 

- slight sore throat that comes and goes, mainly goes.

- a lump at the left side of the tongue at the back which is the same colour as my tongue, I have the same the other side but not as big. (Main concern) 

- tingling/burning sensation across the left side of my tongue from front to back. (Main concern) 

- a feeling of a lump that comes and goes. 

- on/off left ear pain, but iv had this for months maybe even a year, sometimes my ear gets blocked and pops again. 

I will say that when I eat and drink it takes away that tingling/burning feeling for a few moments. 

please, if anyone has any experiences that have turned out to be absolutely fine I would really appreciate it, I’m sending myself spiralling and into a state of panic. I’m scared. I have 3 young children and I really am absolutely terrified x

  • Hi, i worked in a dental environment for a few years (wasn't a dentist), but regardless of stress levels, any oral lump, bump, sore, lesion or patch that lasts for more than 2 weeks should always be examined in person by a doctor or dentist.

    The chances of it being nothing are good, especially if you're a non-smoker, but you're needing to go see someone about it. Two things, the sides, especially towards the back, is a high risk area. Secondly, many people confuse their papillae for lumps. Those lumps are normal anatomy. Everyone has them and they can vary in size. You also have lymph tissue on that part of your tongue, which means things can swell if you have an upper respiratory virus going on.

  • Thank you for your reply. I don’t have a dentist so trying to find one that will see me is going to be tricky. I done an econsult for the GP which they replied see a pharmacist. 

    I know for sure I grind my teeth in my sleep and I’m wondering whether I have bitten that side. Again other than it being a bit larger and having tingling sensations it does look normal, no odd colour etc. 

    I have just had a look back in another forum I was on and 3 years ago went to the dentist with the same issue and it was fine back then. 

    I will leave it until Monday and if it’s still intense I will search high and low for a dentist that will see me or contact the GO again 

  • Am oral lump is something for a doctor/dentist to check, not a pharmacist. I'd call your doctor back and explain you think you have a lump on your tongue. They have to see you. Pharmacists deal with drugs and drugs for minor ailments, they don't diagnose lumps.

    If you've had it for 3 years (not sure if i picked you up correctly), then it will be nothing. Oral cancers are fast-growing and you'd know all about it before the 3-year mark, so it's probably more your anxiety you need to focus on. Health anxiety can ruin lives.

  • Agreed! I was a bit shocked they recommended a pharmacy. 

    yes sorry, 3 years ago I went to the dentist with exactly the same problem down a T. Obviously I haven’t been constantly checking that area for 3 years but only now just under 2 weeks have I been having these other symptoms on and off. My main issue is the burning/tingling sensation. It’s more irritating than anything and because of this I keep running my tongue along my teeth to try and stop it, maybe that’s the issue. 

    thank you for replying to me. I will contact the GP again. 

  • Hi, I read your post and wanted to share my recent experience. I have terrible health anxiety, it ramped up Nov 23 and I'm slowly getting better, but in that time I've had a whole host of concerns, tests, scans and everything has come back fine. Anxiety really is a b*tch! Not sure if I'm allowed to say that but it really has ruined last 8 months of my life ! I too had a sore tongue, I had what I thought were white and red spots at the sides, it was sore, bumpy, and I had a constant terrible taste in my mouth, like chemicals. I also had a thick coating on my tongue but swabs were negative. It really was miserable. Then my daughter picked up a really nasty stomach bug and was quite ill and anxious. Her health and worries immediately took over my own and without even realising I stopped focusing on my mouth and checking it all the time. After maybe about 2 weeks, I realised I didnt have the bad taste and I think up to now it's been about 8 weeks since I scrutinised my tongue! 

    You should definitely get medical advice for your own peace of mind but going forward try to not focus as much on your tongue, see if this makes a difference? I also ended up with a steroid nasal spray as I had pulsatile tinnitus and ear blocking/popping as you have described, turns out I had a bulging eardrum and fluid in the ear canal. Never found out if it was linked to the taste in my mouth but maybe the problem is in your ear rather than your mouth? 

    Wishing you the best, I think you will be fine x

  • Please see dentist asap.  Doesn’t matter if you have been with one or not.  Call around and get someone to see you.  Also ask your GP to refer you to a specialist , this is not pharmacist’s job.  
    I developed mouth ulcer when there were Covid restrictions.  My GP requested blood test and told me on the phone there was nothing wrong with me.  I was lucky to get a dentist appointment.  He send me straight to see consultant, it turned out to be stage 1 cancer. 
    I have been free of Cancer for past 3 years.  I have developed a mouth ulcer again and I am in panic again and that’s why on forum .  I see my consultant in 2 weeks time.

    Please see dentist asap, even if you have to pay, most probably it’s nothing, but don’t leave it.

  • Hi Mumma23

    I would ask your gp give you a 2ww referral starting with nasendescope [camera up nostril] to look back of throat

    Reason being I had sore throat for 3 weeks last Oct and after self treatment strepsils, salt water wash, ice cream etc the pain went but returned 3 months later, This time sore, felt swallowing was painful [your tingling ?] a lump rear of tongue and the ear pain was result of tumor pressing on nerve to ear.

    The process is speedy from scan, biopsy to treatment plan, I had 6 weeks radiotherapy and 2 chemo sessions,  Support from cancer team is amazing and radiotherapy painless. 

    Everyone is different but get checked out for your sake and childrens and the earlier caught the better. Its better to check than keep worrying. I am 10 weeks post treatment and feel great.

    Wishing you a positive outcome