Roger C. I'm sorry to hear, but felt the same up to all my recurrence diagnoses, and had relief once I knew, and what I had to do next. This is still treatable by surgery, as the first line for recurrences, maybe a flap for more radiation or chemoradiation to follow. If your facility does a resection, flap, with high dose Brachytherapy or HD-IORT, as boost, followed by radiation or Chemoradiation is effective for recurrences. You may want to hit this as hard as you can while you can. Were you ever checked for HPV? The oropharynx could have been the primary all along? They can do it from this and past biopsies also, but may not change any treatment strategies. I still don't know myself, 4 years later, but suspect mine is HPV involved.

Good luck with your surgery consultation, and everyone here is behind you for support.


10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs