Any chewers out there diagnosed with cancer due to smokeless tobacco use? I've been chewing for over 20yrs - finally found a dentist that has taken an interest recently and a brush biopsy was done and was just told today requires more testing so will have another biopsy done in a week.

Welcome DW, There have been folks here from time to time that have had a history of smokeless use. Smokeless tobacco is not a "Safe" form. It may save some risk from certain types of cancer or location (lung) but it is known to cause oral cancer. Hopefully your tests will show that what you have is not cancer. If it proves to be cancer then you have found the right place here.

DW,

I am a dental hygienist and an oral cancer survivor who is very actively working in dentistry to increase the rates of early diagnosis of oral cancer. My initial diagnosis was made with a brush biopsy but I want to reassure you that even with the atypical brush biopsy result that you are having investigated, there is still about a 70% chance that everything is okay. You need to have your biopsy but don't panic.

That doesn't mean that it is okay to continue to use chewing tobacco. If you stopped using it today, within a few weeks all or most of the leukoplakia (white tissue) in the area where you place the tobacco would go away. Any of the leukoplakia that does not go away should be removed because that tissue is what is most likely to become cancerous. If you continue to chew, then you should have the area biopsied annually because the leukoplakia can become cancerous over time -- meaning a negative biopsy today does not mean a negative biopsy a year from now, especially when the tissue is still exposed to the risk factor.

A 20 year history of placing a known cancer causing substance against your gums and lip or cheek is a pretty big risk factor. Read through some of the stories here and decide if the potential treatment you may need to have is worth the risk of continued use of chewing tobacco.

Please let us know what happens with your biopsy and please thank your dentist for being proactive about your diagnosis.

Good luck,

Barb

DW,

I am a dentist and oral cancer survivor with no risk factors. I have been practicing for 35 years and of the 2 cases of oral cancer that I picked up, one was from smokeless tobacco.

What Barb has told you is sound advice. Whether you have cancer or not, and I sure hope you don't, the best thing you can do for yourself is stop parking the evil weed right now.

Good luck with the biopsy and let us know. We will be here for you, if you need us.

Jerry

Hi DW,

there's an article in the news section that talks about the additional risks of oral cancer that smokeless tobacco can pose.

From the article,
"The American Cancer Society says that smokeless tobacco users are 50 times more at risk for developing various cancers than those who don't use."

You can read the entire article at http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/news/story.asp?newsId=641. Bottom line, it is very difficult to kick a powerfully addictive drug like nicotine, but, if you can do it, it is well worth the effort.

Good luck with your biopsy results. - Sheldon

Am new to this forum also wondering if any tobacco users present

airplane,

I smoked about a pack a day before I was diagnosed. While smoking is not a factor for the type of cancer I had, I immediately quit.
You will fing a lot of people on this site that never smoked and still have cancer.

Airplane
We have a lot of ex-smokers , my hubby had been quit for 10 years when his cancer was diagnosed.
It`s a factor, please, don`t kid yourself it`s not.
Marica

Conversely to mellay's post you will find even MORE people here who smoked or used tobacco products and HAVE oral cancer (alcohol is a factor as well).

The non-smoking/non-drinking population with oral cancer, statistically, is under 25%.

I wouldn't want to mitigate the risk factors for those who are on the fence on this issue.

QUIT NOW! It is the leading, most preventable, cause of death.

I have been smoking since I was 13 years old, I only stopped briefly when I was pregnant. The most important factor that made me stop was when I was being diagnosed and was asked if I was a smoker. I felt about 2 inches tall and wondered if I had a brain at all. Only 34 years old and devastated that I could ever put the people I love dearest at risk by making them subject to my horrible habit.