My husband was diagnosed with tonsil cancer 12-2005. Tumor was small and ct scan only looked like 1 node was involved. Neck dosection was recommended by ent and visit with oncology was not until after the date of the disection. This concerned me. The plan had been neck disection, and radiation. The pathology came back and 5 nodes were possitive, and we were in a new ballgame. This now became a stage 4. Chemo was added to the treatment plan, the oncologist even gave extra rounds of chemo after radiation with concurrent chemo was completed. My husband was 42 at the time of dx, non-smoker, non-drinker. Margins were clear. Neck disection was a non-event for him, you can not even tell it was done unless you are really looking. We went to Johns Hopkns and were told that this is not standard therapy, but my husband says he does not regret having the neck disection, but if it came back he would have always wondered "what if" if he had not had the disection.