I have had a sore throat for a matter of 6 months and it is not strep. I have had blood tests and the works. I am about to check into the possibility of HPV Cancer of the throat. I think this may be more prevalent than throat cancer from smoking or drinking. So if you have a sore throat that will not go away you may want to ask your doctor about this. My throat pain is on the right side, hurts when I talk and swallow and sometimes gives me ear pain too. It does not go away even with Advil. I have recently been diagnosed with CFS also and sore throat can be one of the sx of that also. Hope that my pain and research can help someone else in the same boat.TTFN.