 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Hi Anita,
A neck disection was NOT part of my treatment. There was no surgery at all. The lymph node involvement was determined by: Touch (palpation by MANY different doctors), MRI, CT, and P.E.T. scan. They didn't find anything over 1 cm. And like Karen they blasted that one with radiation and shrank it to nothing. The radiation oncologist also mentioned that there were other areas they were targeting also but didn't go into specifics. They also modified the treatment plan at the midpoint because the tumor melted so rapidly.
Other ways that they Dx lymph node involvement is post analysis after surgical removal and fine needle biopsy.
That's why I stated earlier that you have tough choices to make.
And then there is always "salvage surgery" in case something shows up later, but so far all my scans and exams have been "uneventful" (my new favorite word).
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)
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