Like Brian said, with an Occult Primary the tonsils go -- "prophylactic bilateral tonsillectomies". This is NCCN treatment guidelines that NCI and CoC Cancer Centers should be adhering closely to.

By what my RO said, when they took mine out they made sure they got all the real estate -- plus.

But, on the upside I had a two and half day hospital stay which allowed them to get on top of my pain management so I never really had a bad go of it.

Like David I had BOT Biopsies. I was told biopsies can easily miss very small Primaries, particularly if they are deep and/or there are no visual tissue abnormalities.

SABW,
Likewise I have always had problems with swollen nodes and tonsils, but I read where a lymph node should be checked if it stays swollen for more than a week for no reason (no flu or cold).

My visible SCC node was also alway loose, but it was hard with no feeling. If there is any doubt I would ask about having a Needle Biopsy.