My name is Tracey, Im a 29 yr old f. I have 3 wonderful children and husband. well ive smoked for about 7 years. Well i always go to my rutine cleanings. March 14th this year i was told that i f=had oral lichen planus streaks and also white thick patyches on both cheeks. I had the patches biopsied and waited 12 days to heat that it is mild to moderate dysplaysia.

sorry about the spelling im new at this...well im scared that it will turn to oral cancer and i wont know what to look for. I worry my health provider to death. He has tatoted me as a hypocontreact. Anyone.... Someone.... please help...


Thanks

Tracey, somebody will answer you before you know it. I have read of others discussing this very subject. I don't have knowledge of it, but I wanted to assure you that your question won't be ignored. In the meantime, why not go to the search feature and search for these topics. You will find more to read than you can possibly get around to reading! Stay tuned....and stay hopeful. Perhaps you need to go to a physician who specializes in cancer, or to a cancer center. I have learned that feeling confident that you are being well cared for makes a huge difference in your state of mind....and the fact is that being cared for by those who are very familiar and experienced with this type of situation IS the best chance for the best treatment. Why allow someone to treat you who has little experience, when there are others available who know more about your problem?? Good luck! I'll look forward to hearing more about your situation.

XO--Colleen

Thanks Colleen and you are exactly right about someone who cares. My doc all he wants to do is put me on Klonopins and say we will watch it. I thought referring myself to a oncologist but i dont want to make myself look like a fool.

xo
Tracey

OK, first thing is you need to tell us what kind of doctors are seeing you, and where. You want to be sure that the opinions that you are getting are from the best people possible, since YOU will be making decisions based on them, not the doctors.

Now some good things to keep you calm while you continue to explore this. Lichen Planus is not definitively a precancerous condition. While dysplasia is a bit of concern, it has not been defined as high grade. That is good. Here's a statistic that you can think about while you move forward - only 20-25% of all dysplasias in the mouth move on to become malignant, treated or not. Smoking is I hope, something that you have stopped. No sense in aggravating the situation and contributing to the problem.

As to Clonazapam /Klonopin, if you are having problems in controlling your anxiety while you sort this all out, there is no shame in some pharmaceutical help.

So now tell us about your docs and where you are, and what kinds of tests people are talking about, or what they wish to do next. It may be that given this diagnosis by really good doctors that watching things may be OK for awhile. Lichen Planus has nothing that you can do about it, except treat the symptoms, but no drugs etc. exist that can get rid of it.

well yes of course i quit smoking thats the only positive thing that i can say. I went to see a oral surgeon and he was not worried abit other than we will watch it. I started having anxiety over this so i went to family physican and he out me on nerve pills and referred me to ENT here in Chapel Hill, NC she was a snot. So im not happy enough i do even more research and finally find a dentist here in my hometown that majors in a few things he did biopsy. (Dysplaysia) Family doc says enough evidence and sends me to GI for upper GI problems she oredered ultra sound and endo. Nothing to worry about except hinital hernia in esophgus. She took biopsy now im waiting for results, She says no worries just simple rutines..... Okay im still worried on the roof of my mouth i feel a tiny little lump with my tounge. One more thing i burnt the roof of my mouth near my 2 front teeth about 2 months ago still not healed completely. it feels weird...

Dysplasia is concerning...are they asking you to followup in a few months? If not, YOU must follow this up. It is pre-cancerous, it is abnormal cells. Not necessarily going to be cancer, but not normal cells. So someone needs to keep a close eye on it. You do not need to spend every day thinking about cancer, but you need to dilligently follow up. If, you are still not content see another oral surgeon, or go to a big center and see what they tell you to do. Like Brian says, if a lil' nerve medicine can take the edge off of your worries take it, it may allow you to think easier about what you need to be doing. Just make sure you followup always re; this biopsy results.

Thanks Bailey, Thats just what i do everyday is worry about cancer something i need not to do. Im just worried that it will turn to cancer and i dont know what to look for. I need to get back to my husband and children but its hard

oh yea sorry i didnt answer... my dentist is watching this very closely and he told me anytime anyday if something didnt look right just call him and he also told me that he has after hours numbers but id never call after business hours..

Don't ever say you won't do something. My dentist made the same offer and I called him twice during my Tx and both times he came to my house, once on a Saturday in shorts, to look at my throat and teeth and assured me I was doing OK, well as OK as could be expected. I'll never forget that and it really boosted my morale each time he came by.

Tracey -
My husband has had oral lichen planus for decades. We don't know the origin of it, because he never smoked. I do want to congratulate you on quitting smoking - that is a huge and positive first step! Since 2002, some of his lichen planus and/or leukoplakia has turned to small cancers, which luckily, were caught in time. He has had several surgeries to remove the cancers, all with clean margins. He did have a biopsy earlier this year on his lip, which showed dysplasia (abnormal cells, as Bailey mentioned). It is good that your dentist will be constantly monitoring you, but you also need to see specialists in oral cancer, like an ENT. NEVER feel "like a fool" for seeing an oncologist - YOUR health comes first and is more important than going to a specialist and finding out you are fine after all. We always recommend CCCs in here (comprehensive cancer centers, I think that stands for?) and I am sure there are a few in North Carolina. You can do a lot of reading on oral lichen planus on this site, as Colleen suggested. Just do a "search" on "lichen planus" right here on the OCF site - you will have plenty of your questions answered by those who have "been there". Keep checking in and good luck. Warmly, JaneP

I have found a new ENT and hopefully this one will work out! I have an apt on jul 7th and im counting everyday and cant wait. I just dont know what to look for if dysplasia turns to cancer. I have little ulcer like spots that break out every so often in my mouth. I have one now under my tounge. I agree im going to see a cancer specialist. Thanks for everything!

Be persistent and don't ever give up trying to find the answers to your questions. I got 5 opinions from cancer docs before I thought I was ready to make my decision involving my life.

Tracy, you sound better. It is important to sort things out and see experts in the field of Oral problems/abnormal biopsies.
I think 'we' have found staying on top of this and seeing Drs. who really work with and see this every week/day is imperitive in keeping bad cells under control. Take care, You sound like you are looking for the correct answers for this.

Tracey,
I have sent you a reply.
Keep upbeat, it will certainly be welcomed by your loved ones.
Cheers,
Mike

Tracey,
Thought about you all day yesterday. Praying everything went well at ENT visit.
Karen

okay my ENT had a emergency yesterday so i went today and they are going to do MRI and CT of right node on back of ear and right node swollen in throat! He said the the displaysia looked okay. But why the swollen nodes? Im not going to worry because he said that i have scaring on my right ear drum from having 4sets of tubes when i was little. The MRI and CT are set for Friday! Ill just wait to see what the results are to them.

Good to hear from you. Glad he is following up now closely. Keep us informed, prayers with you.

Thanks alot for taking the time to listen to my sorrows. I hope all goes well with you too!

Thanks,
Tracey