He quit smoking (4 packs a day) 6 years before being diagnosed. . . but continued to drink more than his fair share of Jim Beam (and whatever else) right up until diagnosis. Although he tells the doctors he was just a 'social drinker', his family assures me "he was an alcoholic" at some points of his life (doesn't make sense to my understanding of alcoholism....but that's another story).

Now, less than 1 month post surgery & just prior to beginning chemo/rad, he

C,

I plays a big role. The difference now being he has already effectively poisoned the areo - digestive tract from years of tobacco and alcohol abuse/use.

If the theory of "Field Cancerization" is true (and most believe it is including me), the aero-digestive tract has already been poisoned. This means that alcohol will still play an active role just as it did in the orgional diagnosis.

My doctor told me a glass of wine or a beer here and there wont hurt, but don

I have heard from several people that the safest thing to do is not drink at all after having had oral SCC. I have had a sip of wine or beer here or there, just to see if they taste the same and they don't bother my mouth (although the finer points of wine are now lost on my palate) but I doubt I could swallow hard liquor without it causing enough pain that it wouldn't be worth it-even aside from the health risk.

I hope he finds the same--at least if he stays away from the hard liquor he'll be helped a little!

I was a non smoker and a 1 to 2 beer most nights person pre Tx and I really enjoyed it. I haven't even felt like trying a beer since Tx began and I haven't missed it either. If my taste returns I may try a beer but the feeling for alcohol is completely different now than it was before. Heck my feeling for a lot of things is completely different than it was before and alcohol is way down the importance list. My docs don't think alcohol played a role in my cancer either.

I think the first shot of that good old Jim Beam will be his last!

Like most of us know just trying to eat with out pain is a job. His thoughts will not be on booze when he is done with all the Chemo & Rads..

Hope all will go well for him.

Take care,
Diane

Thank you all for your replies. I feel a bit better realizing there will probably be immediate physical consequences, that discourage him from drinking again, as I don't know whether the potential of future consequences would really do it.

Robr....If I could get him to agree, I