I am just finishing IMRT therapy this week and my experience was similar to Joanna's. I have some burns but I think that they'll heal quickly once the radiation has stopped. The difference between IMRT and conventional XRT is like using sniper bullets vs. a shotgun. They can program the IMRT to vary the dose rates through certain tissues and save most of the salivary function. You'll get the same amount of radiation, just more precisely targeted. I am positive that IMRT will be the "standard of care" and most radiation treatment centers are adding it. I understand that UCSF has a 70% success rate and they have been using it there since 1995. If you type in "IMRT" on Google, you will find a wealth of information about it. I also didn't need a PEG tube, but that is a personal choice that only you and your doctor can make.