Susan

Relax and take a deep breath. Then relax again. Sorry you had to join our little club. Please don't be so alarmed about "node involvement". It is very very common for patients with tongue cancer to also have some lymph nodes involved. In fact, it is so common, that many posters here have had Neck dissections (ND) [the surgeon takes out the lymph nodes to see if they have cancer]. This is not pancreatic cancer. It is NOT a death sentence.
Your question is not stupid. While it would be better if the cancer had stayed in the tongue and not gone into the lymph nodes, it does NOT mean that it has spread anywhere else. I had lymph node involvement and it has not spread to my lungs, etc or anywhere except those nodes and the tongue
Charm