HI Fuzzless -
Need to add my husband's experiences too. He too has had both lichen planus (you are correct, it IS indeed a strange idiopathic disease!) and leukoplakia on his gums and cheeks for decades. It wasn't until 2002 (see my "signature", below) that the cells changed into SCC for the first time. He also has lost 3 teeth (2 the first surgery, along with a shaving of jawbone, 1 tooth with another surgery) in the process, but because they CAUGHT IT EARLY all 4 times (last time, on his lip, as the lichen planus "creeped out" onto his lip) and the surgery pathology reports always showed clear margins along with clear scans, so he never went thru radiation. I assume you didn't either, as I didn't read that in your posts? Also, just out of curiosity, do you have any metal in fillings or metal in crowns where your SCC developed? He did have a neck dissection with the first surgery too. Clear nodes.
By the way, thanks Sheldon - we didn't know there were "different degrees of lichen planus". And Dr. Mike, your statement that it (OLP) is "poorly defined" is spot on.
Please keep us informed and stay away from stress! That has been mentioned to my husband too (and the poor guy will be with me 40 years next month!). Warmly, JaneP.