Welcome Roger,

I concur with what everyone has said, and would like to add to have a baseline eye test. I lost my vision from chemo, coincidently I have an appointment with my Opthomologist today. Reading through your post I noted bilateral involvement, which is not that usual, but can occurr in BOT, and the staging to be T2N1MX, which is one node, which is good, but they may still treat both sides bilaterally with radiation. The same happened to me. p16, a tumor suppressor gene, is also good, in cases of HPV involvement, otherwise it's a negative prognostic factor. They should follow-up with HPV testing, although p16 positivity is a good indication of HPV involved, but not always.

Different hospitals have different treatment modalities. Chemoradiation was used, still is, in organ preservation in the oropharynx, larynx, and other areas, but transoral (TORS) and laser microsurgery is being used with good outcome, along with neck dissection, possibly radiation and or Chemoradiation. The same with some using induction chemo, and Chemoradiation withradiation at reduced dosage, ipsilateral. Options are good, and seeking out several consultations is
also.

As far as MDAnderson, Proton Therapy, there is no HopeLodge, yet, in Houston. It will open in 2015. I heard, and like many they may offer their own housing. Hope lodge has about 26 other locations throughout the country, and you can stay alone as long as you have a doctors note that you can care for yourself. Other proton therapy centers offers grabs from $400-$14,000 for lodging, transportation, etc. I stayed at Hope Lodge in NYC for 6 weeks, and at another date had Proton Treatment at ProCure, in NJ. Both are amazing facilities.

Most I know had Proton Therapy for a recurrence in the head and neck. It's very precise, so I don't know if it's applicable for large areas to be treated. My two radiated locations took 30-45 minutes, most of it set up time, changing locations, apperatures, brass snouts, so I can imagine doing how long it would take compared to IMRT. MDAnderson has IMPT, the only one in the U.S., Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy, with Pencil Beam technology. It's the same protons, but can conform the proton beams to the tumor, so there is no need to change positions, apperatures, no brass snouts to conform radiation to the tumor, the computer does it all with magnets.

I hope this helps. If you have any other questions, ask.