I have a few questions to ask so I can better understand the entire situation your husband is in.

Im not sure what you mean (last sentence of first paragraph) results from the studies. Did you mean test results or info from the surgery or something completely different?

Im not sure why there is so much hesitation with doing the neck dissection? I dont know of anyone who years later wishes they hadnt gone thru with it. There can be some reduced range of motion with stiffness and alittle numbness but to me its not that bad. Im 8 years past mine and even with all my complications I have not pinpointed the neck dissection as being unnecessary. Ive been thru many things that are so much worse than a neck dissection.

Sometimes a patient or caregiver knows someone who went thru a medical procedure and thats why they hesitate. Is this something you or your husband has been thru?

Im always one for advising to get a second opinion at a CCC but sometimes it just isnt possible which can impact negatively on making a decision. What does your husband want to do? Have you already set up a second opinions consult? If so how far out is it?

Did you ask about taking frozen sections right then and there in the OR while he is being operated on? At a CCC thats sometimes an option. I have a friend who did the frozen sections and it worked out very well for her. This ensured her doc was positive he got clean margins.

Being only a couple weeks post rads, it could be possible its some sort of infection too. Never know until the biopsy says what it is.

Im sorry if Im being a bit dense tonight, for me its very late and Im way past tired so Im not completely understanding the 2nd paragraph where you mention 2 studies. Its very possible I missed something in a previous post which is why I dont quite get why you are mentioning studies.

Its not an easy decision to proceed or not. Im so very sorry Im not able to help you with this. How I wish I had a magic wand to make all the patients who struggle well again.