Scottp,
Ditto to what everyone else said. My father was diagnosed in January and just finished treatments last month. It isn't easy but you can survive it.
Massillon, football country,I am only a couple of hours south of you. I don't know if Cleveland has a CCC but we have one here in Columbus and I would encourage you to at least try to get your Dad to obtain a second opinion here in Columbus.
My father lives in a different state and I wasn't successful in getting him to come here. Good luck and keep posting. You will find a wealth of information on this website. Your Dad will be ok, my Dad had the lump on his neck for several months before mentioning it to any of us. He decided since it continued to get larger to finally mention it to his family physician during a routine visit. Thank goodness he did.
God bless you and your family
Kim

Caregiver to Father:Stage III unknown primary; modified left side neck dissection 2/2006; 8 wk trmts of Erbitux 3/2006 with-37 radition treatments; 11.2010; biopsy of base of tongue results questionable. 9.2013 tumor on left side of tongue; squamous cell cancer. 10.2.2013 Hemiglossectomy(1/2 tongue removed) with reconstruct tongue using left thigh tissue;surgery included IORT.
25 additional IMRT radiation trtmts & 5 wks/chemo. Carbo & Taxol combo.NPO;100% PEG depend;aspiration pneumonia 3/2014