I have had 3 primary throat cancers and found each one before the doctor. With your history I think it is good to be looking all the time. Every day in the shower after washing my hair I feel all around the inside of my mouth looking for something that feels different on the left than the right or which feels harder than it should be. About once a week I get out the flashlight and look around the inside of my mouth and if I see a white or red area that doesn't clear up in two weeks I go to see the ENT. Finally that same once a week I feel all around the outside of my neck looking for anything that feels different than it did before. This kind of regular self check will go a long way toward reducing your fear from past nicotine usage.
In 1994 I found a 3cm tumor on my right tonsil. After 3 rounds of chemo, I underwent a radical neck dissection with a peck flap. I had a reoccurance which required twice a day radiation treatments and then had 19 years cancer free. I then found a very small tumor on my right tonsil. It was removed. Then I found a 1 cm mass near the base of my tongue on the left side. I had two partial glossectomys with bad margins and then then underwent Brachytherapy.
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