DW,

I am a dental hygienist and an oral cancer survivor who is very actively working in dentistry to increase the rates of early diagnosis of oral cancer. My initial diagnosis was made with a brush biopsy but I want to reassure you that even with the atypical brush biopsy result that you are having investigated, there is still about a 70% chance that everything is okay. You need to have your biopsy but don't panic.

That doesn't mean that it is okay to continue to use chewing tobacco. If you stopped using it today, within a few weeks all or most of the leukoplakia (white tissue) in the area where you place the tobacco would go away. Any of the leukoplakia that does not go away should be removed because that tissue is what is most likely to become cancerous. If you continue to chew, then you should have the area biopsied annually because the leukoplakia can become cancerous over time -- meaning a negative biopsy today does not mean a negative biopsy a year from now, especially when the tissue is still exposed to the risk factor.

A 20 year history of placing a known cancer causing substance against your gums and lip or cheek is a pretty big risk factor. Read through some of the stories here and decide if the potential treatment you may need to have is worth the risk of continued use of chewing tobacco.

Please let us know what happens with your biopsy and please thank your dentist for being proactive about your diagnosis.

Good luck,

Barb