Leukoplakia -- a white patch on the tongue or inside of the cheek that doesn't rub off and cannot be diagnosed as anything else -- is a pre-cancerous condition. Most leukoplakias do not turn to cancer; some, like my husband's, do. Leukoplakia is often the result of irritation; if the source of the irritation is found and dealt with, the leukoplakia may disappear.

There is a lot of information about leukoplakia on the main part of the Oral Cancer Foundation website; use the Search link at the bottom of each of these pages (between Newsletter and Site Map) to get to the search engine of the main OCF site.

As Brian wrote me when I first asked about leukoplakia in May 2006 (before the cancer was discovered): "Keep an eye on it from now until forever."

All the best,
Leslie