I have a question that has baffled me for awhile. If someone doesn't have a neck dissection or has one AFTER radiation, then how do they know if they had any positive lymph nodes? Also, do the majority of oral cancer patients have positive lymphnodes??

SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.