If you have younger siblings that are between the ages of 12 and 26, you may want to talk with them (and your parents) about the Guardisil vaccine. This is a series of 3 shots given over a few months that will protect them from the bad strains of the HPV virus. So when you have your "talk", dont forget to include some informative info that will hopefully help protect them from ever dealing with things like cervical cancer, anal cancer, penile cancer, genital warts and oral cancer. I doubt your cancer was from HPV as its location doesnt fit the usual base of tongue and tonsil area tumors. Ive seen several young former smokers who have gotten OC (all under age 30). Their doctors told them they didnt cause their cancer either. In my opinion, the doctor is being kind to their patient and helping them to not feel the guilt of causing their own illness.

You have no idea all the junk that is put into tobacco. As a flavor enhancer, urea is added, more commonly known as the major component of human urine. I lost half of my lower jaw from my smoking habit. By continuing to smoke you are only making things harder on your body. You will not heal as easily and you sure dont need the added chemicals in the tobacco or in the smoke. The electronic cigs are slightly better but still only a substitute for the real thing. Help yourself and make the decision that you are going to fight then do it.... throw out the cigs! I know its not easy but you need to have this sink in and then follow thru. You CAN do this!!!!

My sister was just diagnosed in early October. She turned 18 in August. She's never even had a cigarette in her mouth. From what I understand, this use to be a cancer that mostly affected 50 years old and older, but there is an increase on the diagnosis of young people. The most important thing for you to do is follow the treatment plan your doctors agree upon. You have to fight fire with fire, and oral cancer is often very aggressive. Best wishes and prayers for you and your family.

I know cigarettes are bad and was aware of the risks before. But it's just kind of crazy to think that three years of social smoking only when I drank and then three years of regular smoking ruined my life THAT FAST. I guess it can happen. If my doctor was being nice, I appreciated it, anyway.

I never knew before, but many of my family members had cancer fairly young (found this out when I finally told my grandmother I'm sick). She had cervical cancer when she was in her early 30s. So at least I'm not alone, and most of them survived.

I'm so, so sorry about your sister. The only comfort I have in this is that at least it's me who's sick and not one of my siblings, or anyone else in my family. I think that would kill me. I'm praying so hard for you and your sister right now.

I doubt you will ever know what caused your cancer but it's VERY clear that smoking can cause all sorts of cancers including oral so the easy part is to eliminate that from your list of cancer concerns.

We do see many, perhaps 1/3rd of the people that have come here say within the last 6 years with a Dx of oral cancer that are neither HPV+ nor smokers and so far no one in the scientific community has offered an explanation.

Try not to beat yourself up over having the cancer, million and millions get cancer. The most important job now is to focus all your energy into doing everything possible to rid your body of these maliginant cells. I'm certainly not suggesting it's easy to brush aside all these negative thoughts popping up in your head right now but just realiize this is a normal part of the progression we all have to go through and the sooner you get past this stage the sooner you can focus on the real important stuff like curing you.