Are the two lumps in my throat oropharyngeal cancer?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 28-year-old female. My throat has been parched since we moved to a new state a month ago. I am a hypochondriac. I see these two lumps in my throat. I have had an otoscope down my nose before, and no one has ever said anything. And now I am just an anxious mess. I had a partial tonsillectomy five years back. I am not sure if this is normal, but I have checked it online, and it showed me the diagnosis of oropharyngeal cancer. I take Metoprolol, Flovent, Zyrtec, Pantoprazole, and Concerta. Would you please give me your opinion on this? Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Thanks for writing in, and I understand your concern. Please answer a few questions. Are you feverish? Do you suffer from reflux in the form of a burning sensation in your chest or stomach? Do you get a bitter taste in your throat when waking up in the morning? Are you a cigarette smoker? Regards.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

According to your smoking history, a short period of smoking cannot produce pharyngeal cancer. I see that Pantoprazole well controls your gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), so continue using it. The serious changes that may occur are ulceration, dark coloration, huge enlargement that interferes with normal swallowing. The two masses do not look like (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity) malignant lesions. I think that these are remnants of the incompletely removed tonsils. I recommend just a follow-up for these masses every month. A complete blood count (CBC) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) tests are good indicators for the follow-up. I hope this helped. Thank you.