Yesterday I had a visit with the oncology dentist and heard some interesting news. She deals almost exclusively with Head and Neck Cancer patients, so her experience is valid. She is an advocate for the early detection of oral cancers by the family dentist and has done some real work publicising this in our community and at national conferences where she speaks to dentists and oncology profesionals.
As a non-smoker I was taken aback a little to hear that "generally" the form of SCC developing in my group was the more aggressive kind. Does anyone have links or info that would lead to some more illumination on this very puzzling situation?
The frustration that she and other Onco professionals have with smokers who refuse to quit despite their diagnosis has lead to a debate about whether they could ethically withdraw tx from someone who continued to contribute to their complications. (They can't)
Where we live in Northern Ontario, there are still alot of smokers, athough smoking is not permitted in any public places, including restaurants and coffee shops, I still see folk lighting up outside the Cancer Center. Their dangerous and insensitive behavior is maddening and insulting at the same time. That's my personal rant; but I am still curious to see if there are stats anywhere that might support the posit that SCC is truly more virulent in non-smokers. Thanks for your time in reading this long post.
Fran B.
P.S. I told her about OCF