Hello again everyone,

Wow...thanks so much for the quick responses! Please know that each one of you has opened my eyes and eased my anxiety. The likely side effects I'll experience from radiation treatment are not necessarily my primary concern. Rather, what torments me the most is the possibility that I might be cancer free. Afterall, it is possible that whatever microscopic "specks" of cancer I had were eradicated when my sentinel lymph nodes were removed. Hence, I might be going through radiation therapy for no reason (hence my anxiety). Of course, not doing anything and knowing the pretty substantial likelihood of a recurrence as a result would likely give me even more anguish.

In any case, after reading your replies, it now seems like a no brainer--radiation it is! I know in my heart that you guys are correct and I should hit this thing with everything available. Hit it with the "big guns", as Nelie said. Brian's statement that "this disease is unforgiving of half measures" and Gary's remark about tongue cancer being particularly aggressive really put things into perspective for me. Sheldon, I will certainly ask my doctor about the radition-chemotherapy combination. Cathy, the fact that you've been cancer free for 17 years gives me a lot of hope--thank you.

Bless all of you and thanks so much for this wonderful web site. It's literally a life saver.

all the best,
Gino