Liz,
"Blue collar" would be another appropriate term. Yes, cancer patients can be a royal pain in the arse! He does have a right to adequate pain management though and it sounds like some anti-anxiety meds might not ne a bad idea either. I fainted in the exam chair when I got my Dx. I was scared sh*tless too. You can't can't "tough" your way out of this. The treatment will beat the living crap out of you - especially the radiation. The pain can hit a "10" so he will HAVE to have major pain management, probably with some serious long term opioids, like Fentanyl (Duragesic patches) and morphine (for breakthrough pain). Liquid morphine, taken orally, takes about 3-4 minutes to work.

I never liked doctors much either especially once they have you in "the system". I tolerate them now. The other medical issues could have a negative impact on his response to radiation so maybe the objective is to "tune him up" prior to starting therapy.

He can fight it - it's his choice to be as miserable as possible but it will break him eventually.

Smoking & drinking, post surgery, are a very bad idea and are a strong possibility that is what caused it to begin with. The real "weakness" is the inability to deal with known addictive behaviour. He will have to make some serious choices about his lifestyle in regards to his long term survival. You can't force him.