Hi Cheryl,
Thank you for your post and question suggestions. Yes I've read extensively---couldn't stop! But I have also leaned on doctors and listened to them (and have taken my husband along for every appointment).
I too thought HPV was an issue for oral tongue---the doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering and NYU have all told me HPV (+ or -) is more of an indicator for cancers in the throat and not in the tongue so my HPV- really does not enter in on this.
The tumor boards for both hospitals both returned with recommendations for induction chemo as a first step here. I understand it is not standard of care. These rumors typically respond well to chemo. And the response to chemo is highly indicative to how it will respond to rads. If the TPF is successful and the tumor shrinks and softens then that is indicative that it would respond well to radiation and therfore after induction chemo I would move on to chemo-radiation.
If the chemo is not successful and we merely see stability (it will not continue to grow) then I would have to proceed with surgery.

I go in Monday for the med port and feeding tube and start TPF on Tuesday.