Marv, the signatures of those who are most frequent posting members is NOT a good place to find recurrence statistics! Most OC patients do NOT have recurrences. They are some of the more fortunate ones. They get diagnosed, struggle thru surgeries and/or rad treatments, slowly regain almost all of their pre-cancer functions and return back to their regular lives. The people who post most often usually are the ones who cancer hasnt been as "kind" to, unfortunately (and also luckily) Im one of those OCF members. Theses are the ones who have their daily struggles just to get thru the day, their lives are very far from what they once were and these members usually are the ones who no longer go to work everyday anymore.
One thing to take in and always remember about our online forum... everybody is different and will respond to things in their own unique way. Even if you found someone who has a similar tumor location, size, stage and they are generally similar such as being the same age, sex, previous cancer, etc, they still arent an equal comparison as each patient is an individual and will respond in their own way, they have their own medical history, allergies, strengths and weaknesses, etc. Try not to let the stories you read sink in so much. Im posting the link to our main OCF site where you will find page after page of info without the scary stories. Maybe you would find it a little easier reading the medical facts instead of the more personal stories and Q&A. Try learning from all the things you are reading, even if you are just learning what to avoid. By educating yourself about oral cancer, you will become a much stronger advocate for yourself.
A second opinion at a different facility, preferably at a Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) would be a very good choice if its available. They use a team based approach where all the experts are on the same page. They work together to create your individual treatment plan. Tumor boards are when all the specialists get together and discuss each individual case. Then a treatment plan is created well before any surgery is planned. There are even places that provide free or very low cost airfare and rooms for cancer patients who travel for their treatments. Find the very best medical team you can and get started to eliminate the cancer. Remember your physician and medical team work for you so choosing the right team and facility are crucial.
List of CCCs OCF main site --- UNDERSTANDING 
