Michael Londo

If you are visiting you are part of my caring family of  friends and relatives.  Thank you. This past summer my sons mentioned that by lymph glands on my neck looked swollen. My first response was it is probable another of the dozens of fatty tumors I have had the past 40 years that either re-absorb or I have had removed when the become uncomfortable. The left side did re-absorb. In August or so I went to my acupuncturist to help with the right side. After the treatment it got bigger so I started going to doctors. My PCP did blood tests, I was then referred to a general surgeon who ordered an ultra sound and CT scan. This led to a needle biopsy and I found out it was malignant in mid October. I asked the surgeon ordering the biopsy and the radiologist doing the procedure to test for HPV.  They ignored by requests.

HPV exposure in men can result in tongue, neck, lymph, throat cancer 30-35 years after initial exposure. There has been a 60% increase in this type of cancer the past 5 years in men 55-65. If you have a friend that has symptoms INSIST/DEMAND this test be done. If the cancer is HPV in origin it is 90% curable. I have pressed two oncologists on this word and they say curable

I was referred to a ENT surgeon after the diagnosis. He ordered both a PET scan and another needle biopsy to specifically test for HPV. During these months I had become my own care coordinator passing information back and forth to all the various providers, their staff, and testing facilities. In early November I blew up and was assigned to an oncology team based out of Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Il.