My husband's dentist identified the tiny white spot on his tongue as a leukoplakia last April and then referred him to an oral surgeon for the initial biopsy. That report came back showing moderate dysplasia. It also specifically warned of a possible "skip effect" -- meaning that more severe dysplasia or cancer cells could be hiding in areas that were not removed in the initial biopsy.

Given that report, the oral surgeon referred my husband to a local ENT surgeon (not one at an NCI-designated cancer center, since cancer had not yet been diagnosed) for an excisional biopsy. That was done a month after the initial biopsy, and a larger area was removed. The report came back showing carcinoma in situ, with a bit superficially invasive.

After getting that diagnosis, my husband began to see an ENT at Johns Hopkins' Kimmel Cancer Center, about an hour away from our home. He was checked there every four to six weeks for the first six months and is now being seen every eight to 10 weeks. All good so far (knock on wood).

All the best,
Leslie