Well i guess you want good and bad scenario,so i will tell you ours.Rob developed a drip under his chin where the secondary tumour was removed from,about 5 weeks post rads.He was treated with antibiotics for a week,and the drip became a hole which over two weeks grew to the size of a golf ball and drained an offensive discharge.After two and a half weeks,his face started to swell all over,and the hole got bigger and bigger.
In robs case it was recurrance and his neck was being destroyed by the tumour,but saying that i know a girl on the english mouth cancer site who has been in and out of hospital for reconstruction of her jaw which has collapsed,and it just won't take,but they are adament she has no sign of recurrance.
Why a swallow specialist if he can swallow,thats just plain weird.Robs problem was not being able to open his mouth because of the pain in his jaw,but he was still swallowing a beer the day before he died.
Sometimes it is well worth getting a different point of view on these things,because the worst enemy of this disease is delay and complacency,and if the you are at all worried about the doctors attitude see if you can see another one.

This is very hard to watch,i know just how scary it all is,but dont be fobbed off if you think it is something to worry about.

love liz

So easy answer? there isn't one,but be very vigilant,and don't stop badgering the doctors.