Paul,
Welcome to the board. My husband's cancer was much like yours. He was 37 at diagnosis, found it from a lump in his neck. Had surgery thinking it was a cyst. Found it was SCC, pathologist and surgeon were friends of ours and they went on a hunch that it might be tonsil. Sure enough, very small primary tumor in middle of tonsil, not visible. Anyway, that was five years ago. He had seven weeks of radiation at MD Anderson, a rough time for awhile, but now things are great. So, hang in there. I know it is very scary and it will be hard for awhile as you go through treatment, but you'll make it through to the other side and find life so much more precious and beautiful.