Stick, it's easy to speculate on what you might do when the thing isn't actually back. It's surprising what you can do when your life is about to end if you don't do anything. I've had a couple of cancers, and each time I couldn't believe how bad the treatments were, and how they brought me physically and emotionally to my knees. I wanted to quit a couple of times� really tough guy huh? But with the support of friends and family I got through it. After the first time I said the same thing. But when my life was about to be lost to it, I let the docs do whatever they wanted to get that crap out of me.

Nevertheless, this is always a personal decision, and I suspect if I had been older, led a full life, etc. etc. has other conditions that compromised my quality of life significantly, I might have let things go. But I would have arranged to die by some other means. Death by oral cancer is particularly harsh, and I'm too much of a pussy to go that way.

TED, Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting. Now that you have, just a quick lesson in forum courtesy. You should start your own thread (choose the new topic button, not the reply button) This start you a thread/discussion of your situation and thoughts, unique to you, that people can follow and comment on. When your posting is in the middle of someone else's thread it gets lost, and often not replied to as a result. In web parlance it's called hijacking a thread, but we have it happen a lot here with new posters.

Cheryl, I don't think that removal of the titanium would change much, though it is taken out when the device, implant, plat etc. starts to go south. Titanium is totally biocompatible, which is why many implants including the oral implants I made in my company were made of cp titanium. The bone has a natural affinity for it, and there is actually an ionic bond formed between the titanium oxide and the osteoblasts of the new bone forming around it, that bond it so firmly in place, that if a good implant has to be removed for some reason (poor placement angles in the mouth are too common preventing proper post implant placement restoration), they have to be cut out with high speed burs and much bone can be lost in the process. So titanium as an element itself is never a problem in osseointegrated implants or fixtures.

I have sent Ted a PM with very info about beginning a new post. Glad Brian wrote on this or I never would have seen it.

Ted, I hope you are going to be seen at a top cancer center for help with your recurrence. Best wishes with everything!

Stick

No firestorm, no anger, just a suggestion that you also consider the many stories of those of us who have had the cancer come back and who still have a fulfilling life. It's not always a horror story with a tragic ending. My wish for you is that your "resolution" remains hypothetical. Our recurrence club does NOT need any new members.
Charm

Very well said, Charm!

Stick, I hope you never have to go thru being diagnosed with cancer a second time. The first round was bad enough. Charm is right, the recurrence club sure has had enough patients that it does not need any more. Wishing you continued good health!