Also, if the only physician the patient has seen is an ENT surgeon, then surgery will likely be the first -- and perhaps only -- recommendation the patient hears.

My husband's excisional biopsy of a leukoplakia (in which the cancer was discovered and, thank goodness, totally removed) was done by a very good ENT, but he also removes tonsils, treats sleep apnea and such. When my husband heard that cancer had been found, I insisted he get an appointment at a comprehensive cancer center where they see this every day and where -- if needed -- specialists from a variety of fields would work together to come up with a treatment plan.

-- Leslie