It's all too easy to dwell on the statistics but in my 7 years here I have seen stage IV survivors and early stage deaths. I had a 26% chance of 5 year survival and I'm still here.

There are so many factors that come into play, is it a viral induced tumor (better cure rate) or is it caused by 25 or more years of using tobacco products (poorer cure rate)?. Stage IV almost always includes lymph involvement and possibly local metastesis as well. I would recommend discussing the diagnosis, in depth, with the radiation oncologist to determine the basis of the diagnosis. You will want to know the differentiation of the tumor, it's grade and size.

BOT are agressive tumors and the doctors typically take extreme measures to cure it.

As far as SBRT, I have been unable to find any publications that it is intended for head and neck cancer but that may have changed since the publication of the articles that I accessed. Apparently the advantages of SBRT are that a high dose rate is administered to a precisely targeted area, based on the implantation of markers to keep the beam in correct position even as a result of breathing. Breathing is not an issue with head and neck RT as the area is immobilized by a mask anyway. The treatment sounds similar to IMRT. It is also indicated as a treatment that can be used even after a full dose on conventional RT (or XRT). Both types of radiation are delivered by a medical linear accelerator with the secondary collimation being the primary difference.

You may wish to persue Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) as well. There are not many treatment centers.

We have had people in their 80's survive the treatment.

If it were me I would get a second opinion from Memorial Sloan Kettering if possible, especially since you are in the New York area.