Realistically speaking... does anyone out there want to face this again? Taking a minimalists approach to treatment has backfired on far too many people to blow it off. Sometimes it's not even the patient's fault. A dr. makes that decision for them. For example with Chemo no being offered in conjunction with rads. I get that it sucks, it's horrible and makes the treatment even more unbearable. BUT aside from chemo being systemic, and having the power to kill a stray ca cell that may have traveled outside the radiation area, it also sensitizes the tumor and any other cells inside the radiation area. While a dr. may consider that they are giving you a break by not throwing chemo into the fray. Personally I would prefer to have the treatment and suffer a little more (or a lot depending on the individual) than have a recurrence at a later date and time.

Also it is very true that post treatment - if you have a recurrence it is harder to treat - (though I do agree totally with Charm's point that in this day and age that it is not necessarily deadly - though it can be) this is often because your choices may be fewer, and the treatment more damaging.

ie: a second round of rads that takes your ability to swallow. A spread that requires salvage surgery that may take your tongue, larynx, voice box, jaw etc.... not deadly but definitely something that affects quality of life.
Mind you three time recurrences survivors do happen - even five time - Paul, Christine, Kelly, and Charm are all prime examples of this. But not everyone gets that opportunity. I think the numbers of multiple recurrence survivors are much fewer that those that didn't beat it second or third time round.

So IMHO it is necessary to do what you can to get it first time out. (this includes educating yourself so you can ask the drs. WHY? or WHY not?)

And for some drs. knowing you want it treated aggressively makes a difference. for example. I asked my rads dr. during the first week of rads how my post of head ct looked. He said it was a baseline scan so it didn't matter. Now that question forced him to look at it - he sent a student out who must have noticed something because the next day he called me back to tell me he was rewriting my program to include the left side because a small 3mm node had highlighted on the opposite side from my surgery and original tumor, and while it could be something unimportant (inflammation etc...) he knew I wanted this treated aggressively so he was going to include that side of my neck as well.

Most people who were here a while ago will remember Eliza. She had a tumor on her cheek removed - and 18 nodes in her neck - all were negative (the standard is usually above 30). Was sent home as per her dr. and told she needed no follow up treatment.
A while later she felt a node pop up in her neck.. went back. They removed another 20 nodes - all of them tested positive for cancer.
From that point on they operated, radiated, and gave her chemo, they got rid of the cancer in her head and neck but by that time it had spread to her ribs, and vertebrae.

If from the outset she'd received chemo, and rads - (which would have been to her neck and mouth) I truly believe she would still be with us.

Nothing is ever 100%. even getting the full gamut of treatment doesn't guarantee no recurrence. Just as some people here have been very fortunate to walk away with a surgery and no rads and chemo. (I think this very much has to do with the initial aggressiveness of the cancer and how long it has been there)

But I do firmly believe that going at this disease with both barrels the first time out definitely saves lives.