Hello and welcome. Here's how they found my op. ENT took samples of several areas where he thought it might be which was just in and out surgery. When he found it was on the tonsil he said there was no need to remove the tonsils as the radiation treatment would just burn them away. Seems to have worked that way.

David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer.
And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer.
May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.