Yes, Wanda, the chances of recurrence are higher if surgery alone was done, especially if the oral cancer is in a latter stage like mine. Surgery takes away outright the obviously infected area. Chemo would kill whatever remaining cancer cells may be in other parts of the body (since Chemo is not a treatment targetted at a certain area). Radiation, being a targetted treatment, kills cells that may still possibly remain in the infected area after surgery. At least that's how my doctors explained it to me.