Hello Lily, welcome here, sorry that you are having to deal with this! There is a little search button at the top of the page that you can search the forum with. We have had lots of discussion about radiation. The type of cancer he has is probably Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Radiation can be pretty darn effective in stopping this kind of cancer. He may be able to have radiation without surgery to his tongue. Radiation side effects are slightly different for each person. He will likely have fatigue, sore mouth, some difficulty swallowing. Usually the sense of taste is affected but many recover that quickly. The treatments are painless and fairly quick. He will probably be offered chemo drugs too. They may cause some side effects too.

If he has lost that much weight already, a PEG tube is probably a good idea.

This is a scary time I know, we all feel a sense of helplessness. The thing you can do is be certain he is being seen at a comprehensive cancer center. We will be here for you as support and to answer questions.

Take care