Jack,

Welcome to OCF. You found out early on what many of us here have also discovered -- if your doctor can't readily identify and treat an abnormality in your mouth, it's probably time to find another doctor. You're also right about how different it was to go through this experience with no internet resources available -- information about oral cancer was pretty scarce (a couple of little pamphlets in the hospital waiting room).

You mentioned that you still talk to your doctor once a year but don't live near him anymore. Do you also have regular in-person checkups with an ENT or oral surgeon who knows about your history? Once you've been through this battle, it's really important to have an ongoing medical team who can monitor your situation year after year and look for any unusual developments. Radiation is often referred to here as the "gift that keeps on giving" and some of the long-term effects take years to show up.

Good luck -- and I'm glad you found OCF.

Cathy