Sheila,

My understanding is that the tonsils and base of tongue are part of the oropharynx and that the oral tongue is part of the oral cavity. I have seen studies showing different kinds of treatment and survival rates for the oropharynx and oral cavity. I'm not sure about the recovery time. A few recent studies using IMRT have shown particularly good outcomes for cancer of the oropharynx for local-regional control as well as 3-4 year survival. Longer term results aren't available.

In a large University of Iowa retrospective study I recently read, they treated most oropharyngeal cancer patients with definitive IMRT (no surgery) with concurrent chemo. The oral cavity cancer patients were primarily treated with surgery then IMRT without chemo. Of course, this is only one cancer center and doesn't necessarily reflect what is happening across the country.

I'm certainly no expert but I have been reading some full-text studies recently. I think to try to reassure myself more than anything!

Connie