 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,384 Likes: 1 | Hi Jen, for me the neck dissection was by far the easy part. Tonsillectomy-Sucked, radiation-Sucked, neck dissection-not so bad.
I would ask your surgeon if you are a candiate for a "modified radical neck dissection" where the sternocleidomastoid muscle and nerves are spared. You will experience less long term effects if this muscle is not removed.
Recovery is pretty quick and pain was not a problem.
Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
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