Having done both surgery and chemo/radiation (well, one chemo treatment anyway, 6 weeks of radiation) I can tell you the radiation made the surgery seem like a walk in the park.
dx 2/13/06. modified radical neck dissection 3/9/06 multiple biopsies of upper airway and direct laryngoscopy. 1 of 47 lymph nodes positive for metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma (lymphoepithelioma). Unknown primary. Finished radiation 5/24/06.
