I had a twin punch (one to make sure)in the soft palet. It was right where I swallow so it was annoying but the least of my worries at the time.

I do remember the fact that the ENT wrote me a prescription for pain killers - 150 of them - thats when I knew I was in for a world of hurt---- in the Walgreens parking lot reading that script.

[quote=wilckdds]A tongue biopsy can be annoying while it's healing, but really should be no big deal. I shudder when ever some writes that their doc will wait and see or waits more than 2 weeks to see if something doesn't go away. You wrote that he's seen it before and he's not concerned. What?????

Nobody is trying to scare you, but you need to be tell him you don't want to wait a month. Don't accept anything less than an incisional or punch biopsy. I doubt he'd offer the brush, but they are unreliable (in my opinion). [/quote]

My ENT has always been very attentive so I trust him, but with all that has been said I plan on pressing it with my oncologist next week. I had the hospital fax me my PET and it was clear. I'm breathing a little easier after that.

Thanks everyone,
George

My husband was diagnosed with SCC of right mandibular alveolar ridge (T4N0Mx) in Nov. 09 and had a fibular flap in 12/09. After that he he 6 weeks of radiation. We see the doctor at the Univ. of Michigan every 3 months. In February, a leukoplakia was sighted. In May it was still there and was biopsied. It came back as a keritoses with mild dysplasia. I asked if it could be taken out, but the doctor has chosen to continue to watch it because of the mild dysplasia. Your opinion, Brian?
Evonne

It bears watching and occasional biopsy. Keritosis is a normal reaction to things that have happened, and that some of that area tests as dysplasia, wouldn't be unusual. But there are low and high risk dysplasias, and not one size fits all. Of ALL dysplasias, only about 25% ever convert fully to malignancy according to Mark Lingen MD a very well respected oral pathologist, researcher and member of the OCF science board who I have lectured with a few times. So you can do a couple of things. Since it is likely superficial, it could be removed, perhaps with a laser. Or you could chose to watch it and have routine biopsy on a regular schedule done of it to see if it is ever going to progress to something more dangerous. If it begins to convert to something you would (because of your diligence in monitoring and routine biopsy) be catching it at the earliest possible moment when dealing with it would likely be minimal.

Thank you. That is comforting to me.
Evonne
cg to husband, Scc of gums, invasion into bone, T4N0Mx, fibular flap 12/09, rad.30 treatments.