Tommy,
For what it is worth. There are hospitals that call their facilities, "cancer center", but they are not the kind of cancer centers we are talking about. This is the link to the list that someone (David I think) posted earlier:
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org/resources/cancer_centers.htm
These folks have likely seen & treated lots of tongue cancers.

My experience with small cancer on the tongue is that it is tricky. I found out that it was possible mine had been around longer, healed up some, and then was discovered. Or maybe not. If you're not at risk for it (smoking, chewing) then perhaps a person does not pay much attention. What was stressed to me was:
the best time to cure it is now. That does not mean get it operated on tomorrow, or 3 days from now. That means get the plan formulated correctly.

Believe me, you do have two weeks to get a second opinion on it. You mention a white spot. So it is possible she has another place with cancer. Or maybe not. You won't know until you get it all out with wide margins--maybe. That is why sometimes radiation is recommended with tongue cancer unless it is very early. If she truly has cancer in situ, well that's something different.

I'll make it plainer: GET A SECOND OPINION. Check the list. You owe it to yourselves so you won't think "if only, if I had" about this particular issue.

The way to help your nerves in the long run is to do the above.
Best,
Anne

SCC tongue 9/2010, excised w/clear margins:8 X 4 mm, 1 mm deep
Neck Met, 10/2010, 1 cm lymph node; 12/21/'10: Neck Diss 30 nodes, 29 clear, micro ECE node, part tongue gloss, no residual scc
IMRT & 6 cisplatin 1/20/11-2/28/11 at MDA
GIST tumor sarcoma, removed 9/2011, no chemo needed
Clear on both counts as of Fall, 2021