Tim,

Get a third and fourth opinion if you can. The path isn't always clear.

Medicine (especially HNC) is very fragmented in this country.

My attitude was/is go for the gusto! In most cases you have one chance to get rid of this crap. Take it. Don't fool around a little here and "lets wait and see". That's bullshit.

If you are healthy and willing, do both. Make sure you get the best treatment at a comprehensive cancer care center.

I chose the University Of Chicago (90%-93% success rate) only after I talked with Sloan, Mayo, Loyola, Beth Israel, MD Anderson, and Northwestern. It was somewhat close to my home (hour or two depending on traffic) yes, but I would have gladly gone elsewhere had the odds been even marginally (.5%) better.

Make sure you ask them (U of Minn) how many HNC patients they see a month/year? Are they a CCC?
I notice at their web site there is no hot link to head and neck cancer on the "Oncology Services" page. This concerns me.

Also, it looks like they have a Gamma Knife witch is good. But it doesn't say anything about IMRT radiation. Do they do it? Results have shown this to be superior technology for many reasons. Organ preservation, post treatment recovery to name a few.
You owe it to yourself and your family.

One more thing now that I have sufficiantly freaked you out. What does "Comes highly recomended" mean? Recomended by who? Did that person have HNC or an ingrown toenail? Also, most forms of skin cancer dont count and breast cancer is a completlely different animal. I have found that that staement has many meanings but only one is important.

My cancer team saw/see's 6-10 new cases a week. As does the other teams at the places earlier mentioned. Please dont fall prey to the non CCC hospitals. Believe me when I tell you this is hard enough (sometimes impossible) to get rid of.
Your own piece of mind will help with the healing process as well. If in your mind you know you chose the best. Then the rest is easy, right or wrong.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help really. Call me if you want. Here is my number (847)456-4119.

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Robert

The best treatment is a must.