A recently retired Army chemical officer underwent three root canals to relieve his extreme toothache, only to discover that he had one of the rarest forms of cancer in the world.
Lt. Col. Brian Hooks began experiencing what he thought was a toothache within months of retiring from the Army after 25 years in June 2022.
He visited a dentist, an endodontist, an ENT specialist and an oral surgeon in an attempt to find the cause of the excruciating pain. It was not until September of last year that a biopsy finally revealed a SMARCB1-deficient sinonasal carcinoma.
“It’s a rare cancer, less than 200 cases, they told me,” he said WFTS in Tampa, Florida.
‘I thought I was a healthy man. I exercise. I eat healthy.’
Lieutenant Colonel Brian Hooks had just retired after 25 years in the U.S. Army when he was struck by what he thought was a severe toothache, but he was diagnosed with one of the rarest forms of cancer in the world.
More than 100 people have contributed to a Gofundme appeal set up by his wife Debbra after a diagnosis she says ‘turned our world upside down’
Two months later, half of his palate was removed and he now has difficulty eating and talking.
“They’re still doing scans to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
The cancer affects the nasal cavity and sinuses and affects less than one in a million people.
According to research from the NIH, fewer than 200 cases have been reported in the medical literature. The study also noted that it accounts for only one percent of all head and neck cancers.
Much remains unknown about prognosis, but the NIH states that most patients survive only two to four years after diagnosis and that “later-stage tumors are associated with a poorer prognosis.”
Symptoms include a stuffy nose, headache, a bulging eyeball, nosebleeds, and sometimes what feels like a severe toothache.
“I’ve been grinding my teeth since I was a kid, maybe I grind them at night,” Hooks said.
‘I’ve never had a cavity. At first they thought, well, we don’t see anything wrong with your teeth.
‘They ended up giving me root canals for three teeth, but it wasn’t necessary. I continued to have pain.’
Hooks served as Team Chief for the Special Operations Forces in their Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction unit for four years before transferring to the U.S. Special Operations Command Central.
Hooks had just started his post-army career and was already receiving rave reviews from his new bosses, while Debbra is still in the armed forces as an analyst for the U.S. Air Force.
He had just started his post-Army career as an environmental health and safety expert for a Florida paving company when he noticed something was wrong, but he had already made a big impression on his new bosses.
“Brian’s strengths are his ability to remain calm in difficult times, his ability to research and understand regulations, and his ability to be a positive role model,” they wrote in a glowing testimonial.
That strength in the face of adversity is now being tested to the limit as she faces a diagnosis that her wife Debbra (46) says has ‘turned our world upside down’.
She started with a GoFundMe appeal for help with medical bills, which are now running into tens of thousands of dollars.
“Brian underwent major surgery on November 7th, followed by intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments,” she wrote.
‘While he has shown incredible resilience and courage throughout this difficult journey, we know there is still a long way to go.
“The treatments have taken their toll on his body, and we are now exploring other treatment options.”
More than 100 people have donated to the fundraiser and former MLB players David Wells and Toby Hall will join radio host Mike Calta behind the bar on Saturday for a Celebrity Bartending Night to raise money for the family at Three Brothers New York Pizza in Odessa.
“Everyone has been so supportive: my neighbors, my family, my friends, and my wife,” Hooks said.
“My wife has done so much for me. I wouldn’t be here without her and without God, first of all.
Hooks says he was denied a biopsy when he first requested one and has urged his fellow veterans to take care of themselves.
“Make sure you get your annual checks and if there’s anything strange, don’t ignore it,” he said.
‘Go to the doctor and get checked out.’