Brian,

Well, I'll go back in my (snow) cave here in PA. smile

However, you need to appreciate my impression that you are *sounding* a lot like my *former* dentist. I used to work with a psychologist who always said (I don't know where it came from) "Oh for the gift of the gazer, to see ourself as others see us."

I can, however appreciate your concern for your list's integrity. You've put a lot of work into this list, and it's invaluable to a lot of us.

Now, I also understand "hypothesis" and have had some graduate level classes in statistics. My frustration is with people who shut doors, rather than figuring out how to explore the possiblities. I can't see how difficult it would be to do a stasitical analysis, at least, of other factors, especially if you're a doctor who sees new head and neck cancers every day. How did it happen that HPV was identified as a risk factor?

1998 1 Amalgam replaced->oral lichen planus R lat tongue; 1999 biopsy "no cancer-looks like uses smokeless tobacco"; 5/08 allergy testing pos to filling & crown metal; 9/08 replace amalgam fillings; 1/09 Partial glossectomy; 5/09 total glossectomy & free flap; rad & chemo just completed.