FIRST. READ THIS SENTENCE CAREFULLY. WHAT FOLLOWS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS SUCH. IT IS MY PERSONAL OPINION AND WHAT I AM DOING IS NOT A SUGGESTION THAT YOU DO THE SAME.

First read this news article, http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/news/story.asp?newsId=131 I spent a great deal of time over meals etc. with one of the researchers of this peer reviewed published paper at the head and neck cancer conference in Washington DC. I have over the last couple of years religiously read all the chemoprevention materials that are available to me. While some of these have lead me to established conclusions, many report that those with recurrences of HNC/OC have high COX2 expression after their disease and this likely is a contributing factor in recurrence, though the jury is still out to conclusively state this as a fact. I have visited my general doctor and complained about my arthritic issues, which I have dealt with for some time. For these problems I was prescribed a very well established COX2 inhibitor that has few side effects and is taken by millions of people around the world. Please note that it is inappropriate for doctors to prescribe drugs for "off label recommended use" and I am not suggesting that any medical professional do so. You may be interested in knowing that even aspirin, and some over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are mild COX2 inhibitors. An example of one of these is Alleve (Naprosyn). I am also beginning my own self-prescribed regime of supplements. These include 400 micrograms of selenium each day with 600 of Vitamin E (I do not buy the dl version, I buy the d version...read the label, and as a tool to remember which one I use, think that dl means "don't like") Selenium is better absorbed when combined with E. To this I am adding two other supplements from the health food store, turmeric and curcumin which is the active ingredient in turmeric. I have completely switched to green tea, which I brew in my coffee maker by the quart each day. I have decided to engage in this relatively risk free path, as a result of my own investigations of published data and studies. Please note that if you research chemo prevention studies that are on going at MDACC and other like institutions around the country, that are in mid trial stages, variations on these things can be found. The final definitive results from most of these trials are still unknown. I am posting this here as an anecdotal comment about my own behaviors only. I have received so many questions over the last 6 months about this topic that I am posting this here. I believe that any person who decides to engage in a program of chemo prevention on their own, tell their doctors what they are intending to do and obtain an OK from them before embarking on any chosen path. Everyone here knows that I am not a proponent of herbal cures, and I am not suggesting that what I am doing is any type of cure. My personal belief is that it MAY help me stave off a recurrence. Whether or not this is an accurate assessment of what I am doing is unknown. I am not suggesting that others follow my path and I have no vested interests in any company or product that I am describing here.

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.