Rick

Let me put your mind at ease on one thing: I was treated at a CCC with a multi-disciplinary team yet both the RO & MO deferred to the ENT on whether I should have a neck dissection after my radiation and chemo. I had done a survey of the literature plus reported lectures on Neck dissections and as far as I can tell they are heavily favored by some doctors and equally disfavored by other surgeons. Why, because over 50% of the neck dissections result in the lymph nodes taken out testing negative for cancer. My ENT advised against any neck dissection. So did some friends who were doctors at Anderson Clinic. Now when my cancer came back, it was a different story. First, the tumor came back in the same place, so it was not a case of leaving the lymph nodes in causing the recurrence. Second, one lymph node that did have cancer showed up as necrotic on the scans. So just to be on the safe side, I agreed to a neck dissection. sure enough not one of the lymph nodes taken out showed any trace of cancer. Neck dissections not only leave scars, they leave your neck and shoulders incredibly weakened for life. I was lucky that none of the three major nerves were severed or nicked as often happens in neck dissections. Nor were any major muscles cut but I had three months of intensive physical therapy before I could turn my neck to the side. Even now I have to do "Shaker" neck exercises every day and the skin feels like petrified wood. I was fully prepared to refuse my first neck dissection no matter what the ENT thought and was very glad that she concurred with me. The odds were quite different though after the recurrence and while it was gratifying to know that the cancer had not spread to my lymph nodes, I no longer have a very important part of my body's defenses against disease: a whole lympathic system. So in my mind, there are more cons than pros for you.
However, I am not a doctor so I hope your ENT is as cautious as mine was about unnecessary surgery.
Charm