Brian, thank you for the clarification it really helped a lot. What would have been very helpful is for someone on the medical team to go over the Pathology report in terms that I could understand so that I knew where I stood. I just downloaded it from my portal and tried my best to comprehend it on my own. However, you made me realize from your reply that I am dealing with a surgeon and her job is surgery. She is supposed to be the best out of only 4 in our area and I like her. If I had gone for the radiation from the start, I'm assuming I would have been more informed by the radiology staff as to what my report stated and the seriousness of it. I was just under the impression that I was clean in the tongue and the neck and that it was just normal protocol to recommend radiation thus the reason I decided to take my chances and not do it. I'm 67 years old and never been in the hospital before this first surgery. My surgery again is on Feb 9th and I am meeting with the radiologist two days before surgery on Feb 7th. As with everything communication is key!