My mom also suffered from the same symptoms as you luekeplakia or whatever they refered to it as for 10 years prior to her cancer diagnosis. She had some surgeries laser etc...they gave her a medication acutane which is a medication used to control acne and nothing ever cured her tongue sores. So bascially when my mom was diagnosed she passed out in the doctors office when they said it was cancer. Most times it was just pre-cancerous and something to watch. She did have a really bad tooth and crown right in the same area and that tooth has since been extracted. She has been cancer free for almost 4 years!!!