Tom-Your case sounds like my husband's a bit too (though he went right from primary treatment to lung mets). It has been 10 months since his mets were first found in hilar nodes of lungs. The mets were treated with radiation. Though additional mets have popped up, he still is symptom-free after 10 months, so that is heartening.

It has been good to be in touch with others going through this same thing. Feel free to PM me if you would like me to share our experience at our CCC (Johns Hopkins) and their approach to treatment.

Best,
Mary

Mary
Caregiver to husband, 60
Dx Sept '12 SCC BOT T2N2aMo, Stage IV, HPV+
Oct '12 Sub.Gland transfer
Nov-Dec '12 IMRT x 33 + cisplatin x7
March '13 PET/CT: 2 spots on lungs; (BOT & neck lymphs NED)
April '13 Biopsy: 1 = malignant right hilar lymph (met from HNSCC)p16
9/13: 33 rounds IMRT to lungs; carboplatinx7
CT w/contrast 12/30/13: 2 spots left hilar lymph. biopsy confirms SCC
30 rounds IMRT to left lung; treatment ended 5/29/14
Sept 2014--CT clear; December 2014 CT clear