Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer

I was 42 years old. I had a sore throat and went to a General Practitioner for antibiotics. He told me to go to UPMC Ear Nose & Throat Hospital that day. I had seen a surgeon 2 hours later and he was 99% sure it was cancer but wanted a biopsy to confirm it. I had Stage IV Head and Neck Cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, that started in my tonsils metastasized to my lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. I was in a clinical trial study and was given Erbitux for the chemotherapy and 7 weeks, 5 days a week, of intense radiation to my neck. I had the surgery in February 2009 and it is now April 2010 and 4 PET/CT Scans later, I am cured. The Doctors at UPMC, University Pittsburgh Medical Center were excellent. They told me that they would cure me when I was diagnosed at a greater than 93% + chance and they were right. I would recommend them to anyone with cancer. They are straight up with you and do not wait around. They form a team and take care of everything right now, not tomorrow. The surgeon Dr. Kim was from UPMC-Ear Nose & Throat, the Oncologist Dr. Argiris was from UPMC-Hillman Cancer Center, the Radiologist Dr. Arai was from UPMC-Shady Side Hospital and now he is at UPMC-Magee Woman's Hospital, all in Pittsburgh, Pa. THEY SAVED MY LIFE!!!