Dmvcc, Your dentist is wise to be proactive. Please do not worry any more than neccesary to kick the smokes. It isn't cancer until the pathologist says it is. Even if this brush biopsy came back positive it would not be cause for extreme worry yet. The next step would be a follow-up surgical biopsy to be more accurate than a brush biopsy. These things don't turn into a full blown stage 4 over night.

Take care and let us know how it comes out.

Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.