Hi David: Does nodal involvement mean the same as metastatic to lymph node? That's what sent me to the doctors in the first place, a painless bump on my neck, which was the enlarged lymph node. When they biopsied it in December, they saw squamous cells. First they called what I have squamous cell carcinoma, then oropharangeal cancer, now base of tongue cancer. And yes, the primary tumor on the base of tongue is HPV positive. I am told this is a good thing, since HPV positive tumors respond well to treatment. I am learning so many new words; it's like a whole new language. I don't yet know the abbreviations, but that will come. -Michelle