Hi there.. As someone above said. Get a second opinion from a CCC if you are not at one.

Tongue cancer can be tricky.
The first line of defense is actually surgery. Then followed up with radiation and chemo if needed. Ideally the surgery will involved not only removal of the tumor in the tongue (and surrounding tissues) but also a selective neck dissection.

If there is no nodal involvement then he may be okay to walk away post surgery (a clear CT scan is not enough to guarantee no nodes are involved as small cells sometimes hide in the nodes but do not show on a scan until they are a certain size. The best way to determine nodal involvement is through a biopsy after a selective or partial neck dissection. Even what appears to be a small lesion can easily move into the nodes depending on how aggressive it is. If they do opt only to do the tongue surgery then he needs to keep a very very close eye on his neck post treatment because often a node will then pop up requiring a second surgery and possibly rads and chemo.

Rads and chemo as a first line of defense for tongue surgery, (oral tongue not base of tongue) is not as effective. Rads and chemo is usually only used as a first line of defense for tonsil, base of tongue, and throat involved cancers.

hugs and welcome ... sorry you have to be here.