Welcome to OCF! Im so glad your co-worker steered you to this site! Im sure you will find it very helpful with providing you lots of info and support. You are not alone anymore, you have all of OCF's members who will be here to support you. There are quite a few younger people here who have no known cause but still undergone oral cancer and treatments for it.

You didnt mention where on your tongue the cancer was located. Anyone who has HPV+ oral cancer has slightly better odds for treatment and less of a chance of a recurrence. HPV is so prevalent that its very difficult to rule it out without having the tissue tested for it. There is still so much info to be learned about this disease and how its transferred and why in some people it will cause cancers while others clear it from their bodies without incidence.

Wishing you all the very best with your upcoming surgery!