Hi there... Your dr. is right. And seems to be on top of things. I had my biopsy on dec 10, 2010, my diagnosis, dec 20, 2010. I had 2 CT scans show that it was localized on the 21st, (1 chest, 1 head and neck) I had christmas break where I could feel a lymph node pop up in my neck right under my jaw bone, This was around the 31st. On January 6th, 2011 I had an MRI. Results... still localized despite my feeling the lymph node - which was the size of a quails egg. On February 4th I had a hemiglossectomy, and a neck dissection where they removed 40 lymph nodes. Guess what... one was positive! Without a biopsy your doctor has no way of knowing for sure.

My cancer was well differentiated in my tongue, to moderately differentiated in my node. This is low to medium when used to describe aggressiveness.

Despite my dr. being certain he'd gotten it all (not a comment I took lightly as he is tops in his field) I was grateful he decided to send me for chemo and rads. I did have ECE (extra capular extension) this is one of the factors he used to determine my next course of treatment. Rads is no picnic. Frankly it sucks, and is scary, and has awful (but manageable) side effects - if you know what to expect up front. However, I would rather be safe than sorry.

I totally agree that unnecessary treatments are a burden - but for me unnecessary is a word that applies to something that is NOT life threatening. Where cancer is concerned, do what you can from the outset because you may not get a second chance.

hugs and take care and most importantly try not to freak. Staging is a medical term used to determine size etc... do not let it affect your outlook. Do what you have to to beat this because for you it is - as others have said - either a 0 or 100 percent chance of survival. Your fight is your own and outcome will not be determined but the outcome of others.