Hi Janey,

I don't know how other medical facilities operate. Just speaking from my own experience, My family Dr. referred me to an ENT specialist who checked it out and ordered biopsy, CT Scan, PET scan, referral to chemo and radiation doctors, etc. Once I went to the ENT everything was set up by him.


I believe he simply followed a standard protocol which, in my case, looked something like this:

1) First was an ultrasound of the lump on my neck which was a lymph node.

2) Next was the biopsy of the lymph node which was positive for malignancy.

3) Next was the CT scan. (he ordered a PET but the insurance required a CT first).

4) After the CT he ordered the PET to see if they could locate the primary site.

5) Once the primary site was identified as my tonsils he scheduled the neck dissection and tonsillectomy.

6) When he did not achieve clear margins with the tonsillectomy he recommended chemo and radiation to, hopefully, eradicate any remaining cancer cells.


In my case the result of each step led to another step. If the lymph node had not been cancerous, I have no idea what the next step might have been.


After your surgery to have a lesion removed the surgeon didn't speak with you about their findings and what's next?