One study which relates to this issue (of patients feeling they have some "control" over what's going on and subsequent survival from HNC) is: Allison et al, 2003, J. Clinical Oncol. 21 (3) where they found optimistic patients and those living with someone (that is, having a support base) were significantly more likely to make it through the first year after treatment.

I have yet not found the paper which indicated that patients wh asked questions and were aggressively involved in their treatment fared better, but will post it when I do. However our doctors at Hopkins have said *repeatedly* that patients who "do things right" -- by which they mean getting informed up front, asking the right questions, knowing what was going on (and why) and who comply carefully with recommended measures to reduce side-effects consistently do better -- both as regards making it through treatment and in recovery. Note that this does not include the patient who resists (that is, is in aggressive denial) over the diagnosis or the treatment -- these fare worse because they do not follow advice and would be considered "pessimistic" by Allison and his co-workers.

In any case, lots of good advice above -- the most important of which is to *get involved* -- you will all have to be pulling together to get your dad through this ordeal.

Best luck,
Gail