I can expand on this idea more later, but I wanted to put up a quick post on this subject of IMRT. IMRT in Brain cancer treatment is very localized and precise, usually treating only the tumor itself. In oral cancers it is used differently. It is used to avoid vital structures where possible that are not involved in the cancer, i.e. salivary glands, nerve bundles, major vascular structures. But this does not mean that all the surrounding structures are spared getting nuked. One of the most knowledgeable radiation oncologists I have ever talked to explained it to me this way. The radiation doctor, in planning the areas to be treated, now has to know anatomy as well as a surgeon. He is able to map within millimeters, an area of exposure, and at the same time vary the levels of radiation given to that specific area. Oral cancer