In the US, tissues samples sent to a lab have to be kept on file for a minimum of 7 years by law. Don't know what the rules are in Canada, but it seems unlikely that there isn't some of that still around. To do a histopathology on the tissue, they would not use it all ( since that would eliminate any reference material were there some kind of problem) and the lab likely has some of the tissue left to send to JH for HPV verification and type matching. The cauliflower shape is a dead giveaway that it is HPV, as that is the most common form of papilloma.

It is not expensive to HPV test, and you can request it of the lab yourself ( private pay of about 200.00 US with shipping last time I checked. ) These guys were very thorough on what they did in your report. Of course some of this is to state everything, even the obvious that goes along with a previous observation, because to do less might leave the pathologist in a lawsuit if he dosen't comment of every little, even insignificant detail.

By the by, papillary dysplasia is caused by HPV. Just noticed that last little comment. So now you just want to be sure that it is not type 16, which it probably is not. Then you are out of the woods cancer wise. This thing is probably going to come back over and over again.


Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.