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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Tonsil Cancer?

Posted on Wed, 21 Sep 2016

Question: What part of this tonsil is cancer the whitish color around the tonsil or the bump on it? Because my tonsil are very enlarged and are white and pink like this one.. Could it be cancer?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (54 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
No signs of cancer of tonsil seen...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for posting the query

I am gone through the history and examined the photo posted thoroughly.

I am of the opinion that:
1. Both the tonsils are hypertrophied but perfectly normal
2. There are wide crypts in the tonsils which gives it the appearance of multilobulated
3. The small piece of tissue seen over the inferior part of the right tonsil could be either a part of the tonsil or an enlarged minor salivary gland
4. There is no sign of HPV infection (evidenced by warty growth) or malignancy seen
5. Please check this link for the image of cancer of the tonsil http://www.jmedsoc.org/articles/2013/27/2/images/JMedSoc_2013_27_2_147_121598_f3.jpg
6. Cancer of the tonsils are commonly noticed in those individuals who smoke heavily and consume alcohol

Hope this answers your query; revert back to me if you have any follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (42 minutes later)

Are you looking at the pictures of my tonsils? Or the picture of the tonsils I got from online?. I want you to look at the picture of the one u got online. My tonsils are like that where they look like a web of white is holding them together. And this picture online says cancer? I hope you got both pictures? . The one is my tonsils. The other is one I got XXXXXXX that says it's cancer of the tonsil. My tonsil looks like the internet one where it is pink with alot of white covering. It looks like the tonsil is being held by a bunch of white.? Does either picture look like cancer?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I am confident that your tonsils are normal...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for writing back

I do see more than six hundred patients in a month. In each of my patients I do examine the throat, nose and ears thoroughly. I being an head and neck surgeon, I am confident that I cannot miss any malignancy.

I have examined the image you have posted of your throat. And the other screenshot image which you have got from the internet. The latter image is one of the most popular photos used for teaching purpose; that has been captured using an endoscope. I have been using the latter image to educate my patients. That's not the image of the tonsillar malignancy, but it's of a normal tonsil with a tonsillolith.

The tonsillar malignancy has an exophytic growth with slough on it (the one in the link which I sent you). Lymphomas usually present with unequal tonsils, neck nodes, evening rise of temperature and altered blood counts. I doubt, you have either of them.

Please check this link below which shows the image as normal tonsils
http://www.tyyyyyyyyyyy.com/yyyyyyyy/?c=474.11

Hope this clarifies your doubts.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Veerisetty Shyamkumar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (39 minutes later)

I appreciate your help. My right tonsil is alot bigger and it has a mass looking thing. It is the same color but it is so big it's making my tonsil look oval and go down my throat where the other one doesn't. It is mostly white. Not white like the picture you sent me but white and pink like the tonsil picture from the internet. Could it be a mass?! It looks like the mass looking thing has a white line down it from where the tonsil ends and the mass starts but it is pretty much the same color just doesn't have alot of holes in it like the tonsil doesn't.. It has more of the white look but again not like the white on the picture u sent me.. More like the white on the internet picture I sent you

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (19 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I would stick on to my words... Its a perfectly normal tonsil.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Welcome back

I am sorry! You seem to be confused. It is a perfectly normal tonsil. If you are still apprehensive, you can get the following done:
1. Complete blood counts to rule out lymphoma
2. If the counts are normal, get the tonsils excised and request for histopathological examination. These are the best methods to rule out malignancy.

Hope this answers your query; wish you good health.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & NeckSurgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Priyanka G Raj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (34 minutes later)

Blood test was normal but now I just noticed a bump on side of neck?. And mri from January states something about lymph nodes. I also am just getting over tonsillitis .. But please let me know what u think.. Worried.Could this be lymphoma? And is it treatable? All blood work from today good. Does blood work show lymphoma? Mri of soft tissue said in January I needed a follow up for enlarged lymph nodes and my doctor never told me. How curable is this lymphoma and what kind of lymphoma is it usually?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (31 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Bump on the neck is an inflammatory lymph node

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Welcome back

1. As you have mentioned that, you are getting over an attack of tonsillitis, there seems to be inflammation of the tonsils still left over. That's the reason the tonsils look enlarged.

2. The MRI report quotes that everything is normal. The lymph nodes they have commented about is normal and doesn't indicate any malignancy. Similarly, the tonsils are also mildly enlarged, but, that again does not indicate any malignancy.

3. As your blood results are all normal and none of your signs and symptoms are indicative of lymphomas, I would suggest, you should relax and not to worry about any malignancy.

Hope this clarifies your doubts.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (17 minutes later)

Well I looked online and it says the short axis is 11 mm and the other is 9 mm.. And they stated online that anything with a short axis over 10mm like that is cancer ?. Could this be cancer?.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
The information about the lymph nodes is not completely true...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for writing back

I am sorry! Internet has mislead you on this. Most of the times, in inflammatory and granulomatous conditions the lymph nodes will be more than 10 -15 mm in diameter and it doesn't mean that there is cancer. Internet is like a double edged sword, it gives you the right as well as wrong information. I would suggest that, you should not be worried about this.

If you are still apprehensive, request your ENT specialist for an excision biopsy of the lymph node. That will give you peace of mind.

Hope this answers your query.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Priyanka G Raj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (28 minutes later)

You do not believe this is cancer? And thank u for your helpAnd mind you this was done in January.. Wouldn't I have more symptoms if it was something that bad? Or wouldn't it show in my blood work by now? .. Do you think I biopsy is needed? And by inflammatory.. Does that mean I was sick or something like that? And what does normal morphology mean.. And I hope you know I appreciate you help.. Your awesome.. And I know I'm annoying but thank you

Answered by Dr. Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty (37 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, I do believe there is no cancer...

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Welcome back

I sincerely apologize for the delay in answering the query

1. Yes, I am confident that there is no cancer.

2. Yes, if it were to be cancer, you would have developed full blown clinical features by now. I suggested biopsy because, you were not getting convinced even after detailed explanation.

3. Inflammatory means swelling of the tissues in the body secondary to any infection or assault by any means.

4. Morphology means the normal structure and appearance of any cell, tissue, organism or an object.

5. It would be my pleasure to answer any number of queries.

Hope this clarifies your doubts

Wish you good luck and good health.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad