Well when the Tylenol doesn't help after a day or so you can go to a real doctor as the next step.

If the sore throat does go away (not related to the cancer), then hopefully your real doctor will catch said cancer during your yearly physical.

I'm not saying these places should replace real doctors for everything, I'm saying for the 98% of the time it's a common ailment like strep or the flu, they can save everyone a lot of time and money.

Sadly, a test for strep will not find cancer, but nor most likely will a doctor looking for strep notice other problems... you have to watch for unusual frequency and severity of symptoms and be willing to seek second opinions, preferably from specialists in that area of medicine. The test for strep can be done fine by the Wal-Mart lab. When it comes back negative and you still have persistent problems, go see your doctor!

Of course, maybe your doctor will test you for strep time after time coming up negative, and never notice the fricking golf ball sized swollen tonsils that are making you sick almost year round until you finally demand to go see the ear\nose\and throat specialists, where upon 1 nurse and 3 doctors in a row will do a double take upon seeing them and immediately schedule the surgery to remove them.... no, I'm not bitter at all! :| At least strep tests aren't painful....