A New Lease on Life
- Mike “Sugar Bear” Thompson, 50, father of treasured child reality star Honey Boo Boo, now 17, has used a cancer scare to fix up his appearance in a huge way.
- Thompson found a benign, or non-cancerous, tumor on his salivary gland. After having it removed, the TLC star felt compelled to fix TWENTY of his teeth, which had rotted from his longtime chewing tobacco habit.
- Cancers in the back of the throat are often caused by tobacco and alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but recent studies have indicated that as many as 60-70% of these throat cancers may be linked to HPor caused by a combination of HPV, alcohol, and tobacco.
Thompson found a benign, or non-cancerous, tumor on his salivary gland in May. After having it removed, the TLC star felt compelled to fix TWENTY of his teeth, which had rotted from his longtime chewing tobacco habit. Thompson’s dentist discovered the tumor after his initial consult for his teeth.
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Fresh off a divorce from Jennifer Thompson, whom he married in 2017, “Sugar Bear” apparently wanted to have a fresh new look to go along with it.
Earlier this year, Mama June, who is Thompson’s ex-fiancé and mother of his child, told fans that he had a new girlfriend named Heather Rood, 45.
“He gets me! He is so loving, devoting and patient with me. He is my calm and makes me feel good from the inside and out,” she gushed. “He is such a kind and gentle soul!”
Thompson has referred to the new romance as a “serious, committed relationship,” and has openly expressed his love for Heather. I love her to death.” Unfortunately, his relationship with his daughter isn’t on the best of terms but maybe with his new appearance, new girlfriend, and new lease on life, he can work on repairing that as well.
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Head and Neck Cancers & Tobacco Use
While Thompson got lucky with a non-cancerous tumor, it’s important to know the dangers of tobacco use potentially leading to head and neck cancer.
Cancers in the back of the throat are often caused by tobacco and alcohol, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but recent studies have indicated that as many as 60-70% of these cancers may be linked to HPVor caused by a combination of HPV, alcohol, and tobacco.
"There are no screening guidelines to screen for throat cancer, unlike cervical cancer with pap smears," says Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center. "There are no standard tests to determine if you harbor the virus."
Get the Facts What Do We Know About HPV-Linked Throat Cancer?
On the plus side, HPV-related throat cancers are generally very responsive to a combination of radiation and chemotherapy treatments, according to Dr. Geiger. "The cure rates for people who have HPV-related disease are a lot higher than those who have tobacco-related throat cancer."
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff.
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