JJ, Google can be a scary place! Put in enough details and a 75 year old man could be told he is pregnant.

Im not sure of your age but Ive seen several cases of OC in younger patients. Several in their early 20s and even a few diagnosed at only 17 and 18 years old. Over the past decade or so the demographics of OC has changed from being an old man who is a smoker and drinker to younger healthier patients. Unfortunately there seems to be a learning curve at many in the medical and dental professions to adopt these changes in the average OC patient profile.

I hope your symptoms turn out to be anything except oral cancer. Its a hard disease with difficult treatments to get thru.

Best wishes!


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