It is very important to know how much bigger one of the tonsils is than the other one.


Tonsil cancer might be presented with a persistent sore throat, difficulty chewing, or swallowing. The tonsil might increase its size and be identified as a lump in the neck. If it grows sufficiently, it might put pressure on the surrounding tissues and organs, producing pain (ear pain for example). When the tonsil cancer starts to degrade, a sore in the back of the mouth that will not heal, or blood in the saliva and bad breath might be present.


The diagnosis is either confirmed or ruled out with a physical examination of the mouth cavity and the throat preferably by an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. It is likely that blood tests and imaging methods (X-rays, CT-scan, MRI) might be needed. A fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) is a method in which the cells are aspirated through a thin needle placed in the mouth for further microscopic examination. The results from the biopsy would determine the true nature of the tonsil tumor. Depending on the stage of the tumor, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy might be needed.