 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Um... why wait for the neck dissection? They are in there doing the surgery. Why not do both. My questioning of this is two fold. Firstly, this cancer has a tendency to hide in the nodes and be undetectable on a scan until it becomes a certain size. By then it's had an opportunity to spread even further. Secondly, that's two surgeries, and being put out twice? Two recoveries.
By doing both they are ensuring no further spread and making it possible for you to not have to have rads and chemo. If they remove the nodes and tumor and you are clear then there is a good chance that is the end of it.
If they leave the nodes and one or two pop up post surgery, then you will in all likelihood be having rads and chemo.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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