Not to screw up anybody's minds here but I had radiation and chemo only for an advanced stage tonsil cancer with no surgery and I am close to 4 years cancer free. The treatment recommendations for BOT are the same as for tonsil.

Look at page ORPH-2 (and also ORPH-A) in this document: http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/head-and-neck.pdf

It's just another question to ask -what would the risks and benefits be to chemoradiation.

If you have the SND and have positive nodes they will probably opt for radiation anyway.

In any case, if it were me, I would be getting a second opinion from a CCC and if I was is So. Cal. I would be considering PBT at Loma Linda http://www.llu.edu/proton/ as well. We are very fortunate to have many CCC's in this state. They might very well agree with your current ENT so at least you can feel confident in the treatment plan and its efficacy.

Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)