Hi Rick,
As you can see, each doctor seems to have his/her own interpretation of the NCCN guildelines.

For the first year following my treatment (surgery and radiation), by ENT doc saw me every six weeks. He does the usual visual exam and palpates my head, neck and oral cavit, as Gary notes above. He always does an endoscopic exam and checks out the back of my mouth and throat pretty carefully. I also saw the radiation oncologist every 3 months during the first year. She ordered CT scans at 3, 6 and 12 months and now plans on doing a scan every 6 months. Generally it is the radiation oncologist who orders the scan but sometimes it's my ENT doc.

During the second year of monitoring, I now see the ENT doc every two months for the same palpation, endoscopic and visual exam, and the radiation oncologist every 4 months.

Because I have had oral lichen planus in the past, I also see an oral pathologist 4 times a year. His exam is more focused on the surface tissues, discoloration and texture rather than on the lymph nodes or the surgical site.

Hope this is of some help. I would recommend that, in consultation with your doctor, you find a monitoring process that makes you comfortable. If your current doc isn't willing to provide it, find another one. Best wishes, Sheldon