I doubt his tumor would test positive for the HPV types screened today since most, if not all, HPV+ SCC originate in the Oropharynx region.

Also from the recent cases I have observed here involving younger non smoking patients with HPV- tongue primary tumors they appear to be as aggressive as their tobacco related cousins so my point is listen hard to all the doctors' treatment suggestions and I would seek as many opinions as I could.

There are people here that were HPV- and had small enough Primaries that they were offered surgery only and they have not had a recurrence. Is that ever guaranteed, of course not. Is it guaranteed that if you have radiation it won't come back, of course not. The question is then how much more of a chance would you have of not having a recurrence if you couple radiation with the surgery in your particular case? Then you must weight that against the side effects of radiation, both short and long term that you may or may not have. Tough decision so that's why I would just listen to as many "experts" as I could before I made up my mind.

Good luck.