Hello Everyone,
I have been watching with interest all the recent posts and especially those who have had the misfortune to be suffering recurrences. My heart goes out to you all and I sincerely hope that you all have favourable outcomes with your treatments.
I had a partial mandibulectomy two and half weeks ago after a tumour appeared in my left retromolar trigone (following an excisional biopsy in July that showed areas of moderate and severe dysplasia with mild dysplasia in the margins.) The pathology after the mandibulectomy took two and a half weeks to come back due the bone having to go through a 'decalcification' process prior to analysis by a pathologist. I have to say it has been a long and stressful wait for these results.
I got good and bad news with the results. It was confirmed to be a new SCC but although aggressive it appears to have been caught early with good margins. It was fairly deep but had not invaded the bone, although it had wrapped around a tooth which was also removed during the surgery. The surgeon seems to think that we got it at just the right time.
Is it normal for lesions to 'turn' in such a short time? I would also be interested in hearing from anyone else who is dealing with widespread dysplasia and multiple primaries. This was my 4th surgery since February! Thanks for listening!
Sue. :rolleyes:

Sue --

Take a look at my signature: For my husband, it was one month between an initial biopsy showing "moderate dysplasia" and a second, more thorough excisional biopsy showing SCC. I can't say that it's normal, but it certainly happened.

-- Leslie

Thanks Leslie,

I think that I have been truly very lucky to have had both cancers caught at an early stage and the same appears to be true in your husbands case. The biggest source of frustration for me is that this rollercoaster ride appears to have no end. Being a non smoker and very moderate drinker there is not much behaviourally I can modify. I used to drink Diet Coke to excess (this being my caffeine source) but have even stopped that. I have also upped my intake of green vegetables (although I don't think that my diet was deficient as far as fruit and veg goes before this all started). I just am at a loss as to what else I can do.

Does your husband have any strategies for keeping this at bay?

Thanks Sue

He has always been a healthy eater, so no changes there, other than possibly increasing a bit his consumption of antioxidant-containing fruits and vegetables. That said, he does NOT get those expensive and overhyped juices (noni, acai etc.) that have ridiculous health claims and are often sold in multi-level marketing schemes -- he just finds healthful items at the local Safeway.

There have been clinical trials here in the US about the efficacy of green tea in warding off pre-cancerous changes in the mouth, so he also gets green tea extract and adds that to juices. etc.

He is now on an every-six-month schedule with an ENT at a top cancer center an hour away and in between, just to make sure, is checked by the local ENT who did his excisional biopsy. So far so good (knock on wood).

-- Leslie

Thanks Leslie,
I've also started to drink Green Tea, although I have it as a cold drink usually with lemon juice. I was never been a tea or coffee drinker before this started and I still don't particularly like hot drinks (apart from the occasional hot chocolate). I haven't seen any green tea extracts, but will have a look in some health food stores to see if I can find it. I have also been taking an anti-oxidant tablet morning and night (along with the usual multi-vitamins, fish oil etc.) My visits to the ENT are supposed to be every 6 weeks and I can't see that changing until my mouth stabilises.

Sue