@woodsy1
No need to apologize:)

The part I’m still weighing is the chemotherapy component if I’m randomized to the standard/long-arm treatment.

In that arm, chemotherapy is given as high-dose (bolus) cisplatin every three weeks during a 6–7 week course of radiation. This approach has strong evidence for cure, but it also carries a higher risk of acute side effects for some patients.

Outside the trial, another commonly used option is weekly lower-dose cisplatin given alongside the same standard 6–7 weeks of radiation. Many centers use this to improve tolerability, even though the long-term outcome data are somewhat less definitive than for the bolus schedule.

My decision isn’t about avoiding treatment—it’s about whether I’m comfortable accepting the possibility of being randomized to the high-dose cisplatin schedule, versus choosing the weekly approach upfront with standard radiation.

I’m trying to balance proven effectiveness with quality-of-life considerations, and that’s the part I’m actively thinking through right now.

Best to you!!!