Yes... some details would be good. His age, what type of oral cancer... There are different kinds. Oral (as in in the mouth - tongue, gum, cheek, or palate etc... - and lymphnodes ( if found in a higher stage) or base of tongue - which is actually in your throat area - at the actual base of your tongue (your tongue is very long and runs down your throat) - or can involve your tonsils, both generally have lymphnodes involved as well in the more advanced stages.

They generally have two different causes and often (though not always) can be determined by location.

Base of tongue cancer or tonsil cancer is often HPV related, responds well to chemoradiation which is the primary treatment - though they do sometimes remove the tonsils.

Oral cancer can be caused by smoking and chewing tobacco use, heavy drinking or all of the above. But there is also a small demographic here that have no known cause. Depending on location and size etc... often the first line of treatment is surgery, followed by radiation and chemo depending on the staging and biopsy results.

Then there is laryngeal or throat cancer as well. This one and the oral cancer - non HPV related tend to be a bit more aggressive.

The best thing you can do for your brother - other than offer support, is push him to be seen at a top cancer center. If he is in Texas too.. one of the best CCCs (comprehensive cancer center) and best Head and neck facilities in your country is actually in your state. It's MD Anderson in Houston. Being seen at a top facility will increase his chance for survival since this is ALL THEY DO... I am Canadian and was treated at one of the top CCCs in the world but if I were in the states, I would push to be treated at MD Anderson even if it meant I had to stay there for the treatment period. There are others like sloan in New York etc... too. Do a little research (christine is usually by to post the links to the top cancer centers) and give him some advice, also tell him to join if he can.

It's scary - I totally get it. But there are a lot of survivors here to offer support. take care...