Bee, I'm sorry to read about your father. All the information you get right after being diagnosed can be very overwhelming. There are a lot of people here , though, willing to answer questions. I have found this place to be a wonderful resource in navigating the battle against this nasty disease.

But first of all if you are at a comprehensive cancer center, the doctors there can answer these questions much better than we can here, we're not doctors. Still, I'll give your questions a shot. My impression is that surgery is not done first if it could cause quality of life effects such as problems speaking or swallowing (such as if the tumor is on the base of tingue or very large) and if the radiation oncologists believe there is a good chance that radiation (usually combined with chemo at the same time which is used to make the radiation more effective) can get the cancer all by itself.

On the other hand, if the tumor is small and the surgery is not likely to cause permanent quality of life related problems, they may recommend surgery first followed (in fairly short order--it is important not to have a long delay) by raidation and chemo together (this is the route I went but I was stage II and for me there was a chance that the surgery was all I would have to have).

I hope this helps a little. I'm sure you'll get lots of other responses here too.

Nelie