Hi. I am a new user. I have Stage 1 buccal cancer. I found out through a biopsy of a cheek lesion which would not heal. PET scan shows that my neck is clear. I will need a re-section of the lesion area. But the surgeons I am speaking to are split on whether to do a neck dissection to remove some lymph nodes.

One says that based on his experience, buccal cancer is aggressive and I should not take any risks and have x number of lymph nodes removed. The other surgeon says that this really looks like Stage 1. If nothing looks different during the lesion resection, he is inclined to leave lymph nodes alone and take another scan 3 months from now and follow up with regular scans.

I would appreciate thoughts on this.

Welcome to OCF! Since the surgeons are giving you 2 options, you may want to even go further and seek out a third opinion. I would suggest trying to go to a comprehensive cancer center (CCC) where the doctors have the most experience with this.

Best wishes!

NCI list

Read the letter directly above yours. Buccal cancer can be highly aggressive. If it were me I'd be in there like a flash and say give me the works. A neck dissection should be routine IMHO and most experienced ENTs know this.
This cancer can seed to the nodes and will not be picked up on a scan until it has reached a certain size. So then they remove the initial lesion, send you home only to have a node or two pop up a few months later and then you have to wait for another surgery. Heal from that and then are likely going to be on the fast path to rads and chemo.

In between the two surgeries that cancer will also have had the chance to move and by the time of discovery in the nodes may have travelled elsewhere.

To me the nodes are a stop gap. If they come back negative terrific, chances are you are done. No rads no chemo. But if they come back positive then you've saved yourself a second surgery and caught your cancer early. (Hopefully) at this point you may still have to have rads and chemo but at least you're a few months ahead, and you've hopefully come closer to getting rid of it for good. in a lot of cases the lymphnodes of the neck and a quick stopping point on the way to the lungs. Do what you can now.

Hugs

Thank you for your quick responses. They are much appreciated. I will be getting a 3rd opinion and am taking to heart the aggressiveness of the cancer.

What I am also quickly learning is that the relationship with the surgeon is important as it is a long-term one.

Glad this forum exists.

How did it go? Any decisions yet? Regardless best of luck,