Wow, 2 posts in one day...
Just got the pathology report back, plus another visit from the ENT surgeon..

So he wound up taking out 27 lymph nodes, levels 1 to 4.

Level 1 ok, salivary gland clear, lymph nodes display something called reactive hyperplasia, but no cancer.

Level 2, one lymph node showed the squamous cell carcinoma, no involvement of perinodil soft tissues or vascular permeation by tumor. The other 4 nodes were ok,

Level 3, one lymph node "partially replaced" by carcinoma, other nodes ok.
Level 4 the 10 nodes show reactive hyperplasia, no cancer.

So, my question is. In plain english, what the heck does this all mean.

Neither the ENT or the radiation oncologist are jumping up and down saying I have to get radiation on the right side, but it would be a good idea, but if I do it will raise heck with my system again. The radiation doc suggested theres a higher mobidity rate if I do the radiation. Now that confuses the heck out of me.

I guess in the next few days I'll try and get these guys to speak in plain english, not doctorese, and explain what this all means. In the meantime, if anyone else understands it, can you clue me in?
Thanks, Bob