I saw my RO yesterday for a return to work authorization so I could get back to business Monday, exactly two months after wrapping up chemoradiation. Instead I got an urgent CT appt. for Monday and a followup appt. with a surgeon. I have an ulcer/soft tissue necrosis. It's right where they excised a cancerous retrophangeal node and within the area most heavily radiated.

If neighboring tissue doesn't light up it's "just" necrosis and HBO treatments are likely. If it does light up a biopsy is in order. They don't want to biopsy it immediately because apparently that can make necrosis worse.

[sigh]

Chemoradiation knocked me for a loop. I made it through all of my radiation, but only 1 and 1/2 cisplatin megadoses. I couldn't keep ANY food down for 32 days and wound up in the hospital for 8 nights after treatment ended. Recently I really turned the corner and have been feeling pretty good, just the usual side effects.

How likely is it that the cancer could recur in the area most heavily treated?

We're decorating our Christmas tree today. I'd been in celebration mode until this development, it's hard not to feel its shadow.