I’m a twenty six year old female. I have always had bad allergies which have brought on sinus problems. I’ve try to maintain them with medication (Zyrtec D and Flonase daily). Whenever I get a sinus infection it is usually accompanied by ear pain and pressure in my left ear only. Sometimes there is an infection present or a fluid build-up (confirmed by a doctor), but just as often there are no signs of what could be causing the pain and pressure.

2-3 months ago, I started having pretty persistent sinus infections (every 2-3 weeks) that didn’t seem to be brought on by any allergy symptoms. I had a severe stabbing pain in my left ear with fluid build up. My doctor would put me on antibiotics and the symptoms would improve, but never completely go away and then would return in a few weeks.

Two weeks ago the symptoms started again and a few days later I noticed a fleshy, hard, fixed lump (less than 1 cm in diameter) on the very back of my throat (pharyngeal wall). I went to my PCP who wouldn't even look at the lump, said it was probably "nothing" and gave me 10 day course of antibiotics. I’ve been on the antibiotics for 10 days with only slight relief and the lump is still there. I called and she said there is no reason for me to see an ENT.

Here are my symptoms:
-lump in throat
-persistent sinus issues
-intense ear pain/pressure, ear popping (left ear only)
-dizziness
-headaches
-blood streaked mucus (worse in the morning)
-voice hoarseness
-unintentional weight loss (15 lbs in 2-3 months)
-blurry vision, flashes
-extremely fatigued/run down feeling
-horrible breath/rotten taste in my mouth mainly coming from left side

Also, I am in a Li-Fraumeni family. My brother, my mom, all of her siblings, my grandfather, some of my cousins, and my cousin’s children ALL had RARE cancers (sometimes multiple cancers) at very YOUNG ages. Most notably my mom had a Chondrosarcoma (bone cancer) in her mouth at 34 which started as a small lump that looked like a pimple and my uncle had a Leiomyosarcoma (a rare soft muscle tissue cancer) in his arm that started out as a small painless lump that doctors also said was “nothing”. I have not been tested for the genetic mutation, but I feel as though this should at least be considered.

I saw an Internal MD with a specialty in genetics this week. She basically said the lump was nothing and didn’t acknowledge or try to explain any of the other symptoms. She said she will not run any kind of diagnostic tests on the lump until I test positive for the Li-Fraumeni mutation. I’m not comfortable with having the test before I acquire life insurance.

In order to get an MRI or CT, I have to get life insurance (which will probably require a physical), wait to have my blood drawn, wait for the results, wait to get an appointment with Internal MD, then wait for a scan…

At this point, I’m desperate. Every doctor I go to says that people my age don’t get cancer even if they know about the mutation and my family history, yet they can’t explain my symptoms and don’t want to run any tests. I have an appointment with an ENT late next week but I’m not hopeful.

I'm not convinced that its cancer but at the very least it would be nice to have it ruled out.

It’s not as simple as “go to a new doctor” because I’m limited by my insurance from switching PCPs more than once a month.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?