Why do you assume that it is a stage one? Is there something that we are not hearing that leads you there? 30% of ALL stage 1 patients have an occult met to the lymph nodes and that is the reason that radiation is sometimes called in. You can search the forums for this idea, we've discussed it here a bunch, and lots of people have weighed in from both sides of the argument. If it were the days before IMRT, I might want to sidestep the radiation and take the chance that I was in the lucky 70%. Today I think I would go for it. Personal opinion, from a non doctor.

Clearly we have had people post here that only had the surgery and are still doing well. I would want to have some sense if she came to this through tobacco, as that might lead me to feel stronger about having radiation, as the issue of field carcinogenisis comes into play. But the 30% issue is a cold, peer reviewed, published fact. And those in that percentage don't know they are there for at least 18 months in most cases, until that micro met that is not visible on a scan today, rears its ugly head as what the doctors will call (wrongly) a recurrence.