Welcome to OCF. Best wishes to you with your surgery on Feb 1st. Was wondering if you have checked out getting a second opinion at a cancer center. That is the best place to go for something like this. They work as a team and treat hundreds of oral cancer cases per year. It does sound to me like you are on the right track with what you have done so far.

Sometimes reading online will make you nuts! There is alot of scary info out there and alot of it is incorrect. Even websites of doctors can be full of false info. Dont worry too much about statistics and if you fit into them. Statistics dont always apply to everyone. If it did, i wouldnt be here.

Hopefully this will turn out to be nothing serious. If it does then you are in the right place to get help. There are several younger members who are HPV negative and non smokers/drinkers. There are several who have had oral cancer with no known cause. Personally, it doesnt matter what causes the oral cancer (if you have it, hope not!) as the treatment to take care of it would be the same no matter why a person gets sick.

Hang in there and good luck on the first!


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile