‘Healthy’ man diagnosed with one of the world’s rarest cancers after routine operation for toothache
For 11 months US Army vet Brian Hooks thought he just had toothache
A previously 'healthy guy' revealed he was diagnosed with one of the world's rarest forms of cancer - initially thinking it was just simple toothache.
US army vet Brian Hooks was experiencing a sharp and extreme pain near to his teeth, and so under the assumption that it was just regular toothache he visited the dentist.
It was November 2022 when the 51-year-old first paid them a visit, and since then he has been to the dentists multiple times, as well as to the ear nose and throat (ENT) specialists, oral surgeon and endodontists.
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Speaking to WFTS Tampa Bay, Hooks, of Tampa, Florida, explained that he requested a biopsy towards the beginning of his journey to discovering what the pain was, but he never received one.
A biopsy is where a small sample of body tissue is taken and examined under a microscope.
Instead, he underwent three root canal procedures, which is where dentists remove the pulp from the inside of the tooth before cleaning it and filling and sealing it.
He said: "I've been grinding my teeth since I was a kid, maybe I'm grinding my teeth at night.
"I've never had a cavity. Initially, they thought well we don't see anything wrong with your teeth.
"They ended up giving me root canals for three teeth, didn't need root canals. I kept having pain."
But it didn't stop there, he even had one of his teeth taken out to try and alleviate the pain, but it didn't work.
Months went by and the former military man was still in heaps of pain, and so he revisited the oral surgeon where he finally received a biopsy.
However, by that time he had more teeth needlessly taken out.
It wasn't until September 2023, 11 months on from when he first visited the dentist, that the problem was identified.
Hooks was diagnosed with SMARCB1 deficient sinonasal carcinoma (SDSC) - an extremely rare form of cancer.
He continued: "It's a rare form of cancer, less than 200 cases is what they told me.
"I thought I was a healthy guy. I work out. I eat right."
Two months later he went under the knife to remove half the roof of his mouth, otherwise known as the palate, and while it eased the pain he now has difficulty with both eating and speaking.
Despite the cancer being taken out, he still regularly sees the doctors for scans and follow-up appointments, although the chemotherapy and radiation that he endured has now finished.
He urged his fellow Americans not to be shy and to visit the doctors.
Adding: "Make sure you get your checks, your annual checks and if you have anything out of the ordinary, don’t ignore it. Go to the doctor and get checked."
A GoFundMe page has been set up by his family to help with medical bills
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Joe Yates