My knowledge is dated as it's been 19 years since my experience, and they have come a long way since then. Survival rate depends upon how quickly the cancer is found, the stage it's at, and what is the cause. It used to be that it was mostly older smokers and drinkers experienced cancer in the neck. HPV appears to have changed that. It sounds like your husband has remained vigilant. Depending on the stage and the reason for his cancer, the survival rate is relatively high, 70-90%. It was not determined the cause for my cancer. I had detected it early, though by then it had spread to the lymph nodes, and I was at stage IV. There is always hope.