I have both smoked and used smokeless tobacco in great excess for at least 20yrs. I'm suddenly have dental problems and, of course am concerned these are early indications of oral cancer. Three years ago was diagnosed with leukoplakia(sp) from a dental hygentist (sp) and confirmed by dentit in one area of my mouth - ENT doctors I've seen shrug it off despite my honesty in sharing my addiction. Have had follow up visits sometimes they see the leukoplakia(s) sometimes they don't. On and off have had neck pain or sore throats, etc... I've been told and treated for lots of different things - allergies, stress/anxiety, TMJ, etc.... Recently mouth was feeling like sandpaper so went to dentist for routine cleaning, asked for an oral exam for signs of cancer - nothing alarming was noted; although have to say the exam wasn't very thorough. Crown work was suggested on a couple of teeth and all you-know-what seems to have broke loose since then. I've wound up with irritated gums (itching feeling around teeth), severe pain mostly on entire left side (but some in right upper jaw) which includes ear, jaw, gums, back of tongue. The left side of my face has felt tingly or numb at times - TMJ was diagnosed in that situation. Visible swelling was noted at one time. After complaining recently long and hard enough about pain the dentist sent me to an endondist for an xray and discovered an infection in an old root canal in bottom molar which is being treated right now with antibiotics. Just today noticed pain has spread to upper left back teeth, but dentist thinks its just pain radiating from bottom molar infection. I noticed today that most of my teeth on bottom and top of left side are literally loose. The left side is where the leukoplakia(sp) was first spotted behind upper back molar. Dentist and doctors I've seen were at first blaming TMJ problems due to grinding/stress so were treating me for that with muscle relaxants I also noticed a tiny lump on the right side of my neck today. Long story, longer - I'm concerned that the doctors and dentists I've seen might be possibly over looking the real possibility of early signs of cancer - I'm certainly a strong candidate for it considering my tobacco history, life style and family history with oral cancer. The pain I've experienced has truly been excruciating - like nothing I've ever experienced in my life. Of course I'm hopeful its an easily treatable dental problem, but at the same time I'm concerned they are overlooking something which might indicate cancer. I asked my dentist twice to do a brush biopsy just for my piece of mind and he refused to do it. Guess I am wondering if my symptoms and experiences sound familiar to those who were eventually diagnosed with oral cancer and wonder what he/she had to go thru first before doctors and/or dentists finally decided to take his/her symptoms a little more seriously and actually consider and take steps to rule out or diagnose cancer. What tests should I be requesting? I asked for an MRI but didn't get the okay to do that either. I just feel my concerns are not being taken seriously.

Hi C! It isn't cancer until a biopsy says so. You sound upset & understandably so. Take a deep breath & try to relax. Get to an ENT that is experienced with oral cancers, preffereably one at a major cancer center & get checked out. If it's not cancer then you can get treated for whatever it is & if it is you'll be in the right place. I hope it's not cancer but if it is you need early diagnosis & treatment. Try to relax, but make it happen! Let us know how you come out either way. Erik

C,
I would like to tell you that my cancer experience is the same -to shock you into quitting your deadly addiction but alas, I had no pain at all. It was actually very stealthy. My GP and dentist both misdiagnosed me probably because I haven't smoked in over 30 years (watching people dying of lung cancer cured me). Grinding your teeth go hand in hand with periodontal disease. This will cause pain and loose teeth as well. Swollen lymph nodes are often a response to infection. Based on your addiction though and leukoplakia you need to take cancer screening very seriously and so does your ENT. For an ENT to shrug off a deadly addiction like tobacco is reckless and irresponsible. If it was my ENT, I would have fired him. Dentists (and most GP's for that matter) don't know jack about oral cancer sadly to say - one of our missions here is to raise the bar in area of early detection. You think that there is any possibility that they don't take you seriously BECAUSE of your addictive behavior?

The biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis. They will not order scans typically until there is a positive result on a biopsy.

Unfortunately the little cigarette package warning labels are not only true but understated.

As a recovering addict/alcoholic I can tell you that in AA they often that alcohol MIGHT kill you but cigarettes WILL kill you.

Check out this link: http://www.sptimes.com/News/61599/Floridian/He_wanted_you_to_know.shtml

C, I wouldn't put too much stock in PET, MRI or CT scans. My cancer never showed up on any of these scans. Erik hit it on the head - biopsy. My was tonsil cancer, it was visually identified and later confirmed with a biopsy.

In my non-medical opinion, if the small lump on the right side of your neck persists, that would be a candidate for a needle biopsy.

C,

I must admit, your level of patience and persistance go well beyond what I had and I thought I waited way too long. You surely have reason for concern based on all that you describe. As a general rule, if you are not satisfied with the results of any doctor or any exam, it behooves you to find the right medical practitioner that can address what you want addressed and in the manner you expect. Clearly, this is not being done and should signal to you to do something different. You have pounded you head on the proverbial brick wall and although the blood is dripping down your face and covering your eyes, you are managing to find the brick wall even in the dark. Let your forehead heal, my friend, so you can sleep better at night. If your problem is not cancer, your worry, clenching your teeth, anxiety, etc., are certainly compounding your problems.

Take the wakeup call, throw away the cigarettes, find a qualified ENT/Otolaryngologist that has actual experience with oral cancer and find out for certain if you have cancer. Your wheels are spinning and you are not gaining in the process and most likely frustrating your doctors, dentists, along with yourself. I am surely hoping for a definite diagnosis of cancer free and a concrete plan to attack the pain issues and dental issues. I can tell you aren't relaxed and until you can get more positive reinforcement, you will not be relaxed. Get after it!

Ed

Thanks so much for your input/support - is so very comforting. I am curious if any of you (or someone you know) have gone to I think its cancer-prevention.com (?) and have seen something about these 7 strageties for beating cancer - it's an herbal approach. Is it just hogwash or hold some merit?

C,

Using Google's advanced search, I did a quick search for any url with cancer and prevention in it. Nothing showed up that was close to 'cancer-prevention.com' that you mention.
I would suggest checking out the cancer prevention information from sites of reputable comprehensive cancer centers, for example, MD Anderson's prevention page:
http://www.mdanderson.org/patients_public/prevention/
or from a national organization that is reputable, like the National Cancer Institute's prevention page:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prevention-genetics-causes

While there are some herbs that may have possible cancer prevention properties, eg. green tea, turmeric, conclusive data from clinical trials is sketchy at best.

I'm sure you are aware that the highest risk factor for oral cancer is smoking and tobacco use. A prevention strategy would focus on cessation of use - easy to say, very difficult to do.

You can also check out that part of the OCF web site devoted to cancer research and the potential new treatments that are always so tantalizingly close but not yet available.

I hope that you'll be able to stop using tobacco, it will likely improve your odds more than various herbal strategies. Good luck, Sheldon

C, welcome to the site. Sorry you had to find us. Given your situation, I strongly recommend you find an ENT at a major cancer center to evaluate your case. Don't wait for anyone to recommend you go, or refer you to someone, just find a center and call. That way, you will know as soon as possible if you have a problem. And then, what to do to treat it. This is a very unforgiving disease and if it is caught early, it can be defeated, but if it is only treated half-heartedly, it will bite you hard. So get to someone with the experience and skill to fix it. You wouldn't take your transmission problem to a quite oil change center, so go to the expert to check this out. Will pray for your early and successful treatment and cure of the problems.