Hi Mandi, while I am not medically professinal, my case can give you some light.I was diagnosed with T2N3M0 stage 4 tonsil cancer with tonsil tumour measuring about 5 cm and the biggest nymph node on the left measuring over 7 cm. The team of doctors did not go for surgery because a large part of my neck would be involved. Plastic surgery would be a must and my vocal cord would also be permanently damaged which meant my voice would be seriously affected. Since I am a school teacher, my voice is very important to me if I can resume my work after treatment. So the final treatment was concurrent radiation and chemo in order to shrink the tumours first. Operation would still be necessary if the tumours did not respond well. Luckily, I did not need operation and my voice is saved and I could go back to my previous job. I just had my follow up appointment this morning and thank God, everything is fine.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.