Welcome! Your situation doesn't sound so very different from my own. My dentist noticed a small lesion under my tongue and sent me to an Oral Surgeon to have it looked at. I was diagnosed with a very small SCC - the biopsy actually removed the whole lesion - it was that small. But since it was cancer, I was referred on to an ENT who performed a partial glossectomy after scans showed no node involvement. I simply had a few stitches, and was told to take a week off from work, and that was my recovery.

Although my surgeon is experienced in cancers of the head and neck, he's not part of a cancer care center, so he also referred me to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for a second opinion (my doc's mentor was there, and he studies with them, but he is not affiliated). The second opinion was simply a schedule of follow-up scans, which I've since completed, in addition to my periodic checks with my ENT. I'm approaching three years out now and all is well.

I am telling you all this, so you can see that not all outcomes are bad. I was very lucky to be diagnosed so early. I'm hopeful your experience will be similar to my own.