If you check the lists that Pete and I linked to above, you'll see that Indiana University is a NCI-designated cancer center and has a head and neck oncology program. If you don't want to travel far, you could start there. Several posters here were treated at the University of Chicago, and others at Ohio State. What's important is to get to someplace that sees many cases and where the personnel are the most familiar with this disease.

[Oops -- Daughterkel, your comment about the IU med center hadn't shown up when I opened the reply form to write this post. I won't change my post, though, as the link might help others.}

Pete: The term "skip effect" was used in the pathology report of my husband's initial biopsy, indicating that cancer was not present in the small bit of tissue sampled but could be present elsewhere. The sample was examined by a lab that does only oral pathology, so I guess the pathologist picked up on something that raised his suspicions: When an ENT did an excisional biopsy that removed the whole leukoplakia, SCC in situ was found.

Last edited by Leslie B; 02-14-2009 08:07 PM.

Leslie

April 2006: Husband dx by dentist with leukoplakia on tongue. Oral surgeon's biopsy 4/28/06: Moderate dysplasia; pathology report warned of possible "skip effect." ENT's excisional biopsy (got it all) 5/31/06: SCC in situ/small bit superficially invasive. Early detection saves lives.