So...I won't be able to resist reading the publications. I have problems not looking at train wrecks and car accidents, too.

More than one of J's pathology reports stated that a positive p16 stain could be used as a DIAGNOSTIC for SCC HN in the event that it was hard to make a firm diagnosis based on the cell samples(!) One of those reports referred to a study of SCC HN by one of the pathologists who consulted on J's diagnosis. (!?!) Nevermind that I found another study that pretty much refuted his study a year after it was published, nevermind that his study was on FNA's only, nevermind that he also co-authored a study on cardiac transplants, nevermind he just got his pathologist's wings in 2007. This was one of the experts selected by the original diagnosing pathologist!

Thank you Brian...and you are right about the studies. It's Garbage In, Garbage Out in most cases. HPV research is a Pandora's Box 'o Fun!

Don't get me started on EGFR (sorry, sorry, sorry for mentioning it!) and Erbitux.

More Motrin...no! Where's those "Mother's Lil 'elpers"?!?




Ex-spouse MISDIAGNOSED with SCC-HN IVa 12/10. Tonsils out 1/11. 4 teeth out 2/11. TX Erbitux x2, IMRT x2 2/11. 2nd opinion-benign BCC-NOT CANCER 3/11. TX stopped 3/11. New doctors 4/11. ENT agrees with 2nd opinion 5/11. ENT scoped him-all clear 7/11. Ordered MRI anyway. MRI 8/22/11 Result-all clear.