Hi Ching, welcome to OCF. I did not have my tongue or lymph nodes affected any of the 3 times I was diagnosed with oral cancer. See, there are so many different places it can be, mine was in my cheek and behind my top left molar. Where is your husbands tumor? Right now Im sure you and your husband are trying to figure out all kinds of things. You have come to the right place, we will help you!

You should be encouraging your husband to eat right now. If he gains a few pounds that isnt a bad thing! Until the doc actually gets in there and operates, he cant be sure how much tissue will be taken. As far as the pain goes, the docs normally dont send patients home on morphine. Its usually some other pain med like oxycodone or lortab, make sure you ask for liquid. This can be put right down his tube! Make sure you flush it with water afterwards. If you need help with info on the feeding tube, let me know. I can help with that too.

A second opinion at a cancer center is a good idea. It can mean a completely different treatment plan. Its where a whole team of doctors discuss how best to treat your husband as an individual. Regardless of what caused the cancer, the treatment will still be the same, that doesnt change. If your husband is a smoker then his odds of a recurrence are greater than if this was caused by HPV.

Best wishes with everything!