I had my follow-up appointment with my ENT today. In his words "Your throat looks great!" No evidence of cancer other than a little scar tissue on the walls. laugh A cat scan is schedule for May 5 (Happy Cinco de Maio, all!). This is about 7 weeks after my last radiation.

That's the good news . . .

The other news, and it isn't bad news, just other news, is that he still wants to do a modified neck dissection to the right side to yank the nodes from my jaw to my clavicle. According to the information he gave me this will involve a 4 inch or so incision lateral to my jaw line. From this, I guess he can get at all of the nodes he wants to get to without sacrificing any of the tissue he would normally need to with a radical. I guess this means the sternocleidomastoid muscle, spinal accessory nerve, etc will remain in place. He suggested that the worst lasting effect would possibly be some numbness to my jaw line.

Anyone familiar with this?

Thanks in advance!

Tim

SCC Right Tonsil, T2N1M0, Dx 12/04, Tx 40 radiation (180 rad), 8 Chemo (carbo), Tx ended 3/15/05, Selective neck dissection 5/24/05, 22 nodes, 4 levels, no evidence of metastatic malignancy!!! :-)