Eileen makes some good points, but I think that she is mistaken in stating that the majority of posters had problems with PEG feeding. She mentions trismus as a problem, but that is related to scar tissue formation and radiation, and has nothing to do with whether or not you choose to have a PEG tube put in. Ditto swallowing problems, again not related to a PEG tube. Occasionally someone has a tube come out, or develops a minor infection around it from not applying antibiotic ointment on it regularly or not keeping it clean. But the problems in comparison to poor hydration or poor nutrition are minor in nature. As to your ability to swallow before treatment, I am not sure what she is referring to. But using myself as an example, I was eating pretty much anything until the third week of radiation. At that point in time, the sores from mucocitis, and the raw tissue in my mouth and throat made me not want to eat anything by mouth. Couple that with the fact that if I did choose to eat something (when I wasn