Hi Richard. When we met with John's RO he is the first one of the doctors who brought up the PEG. We knew nothing about any of this going into it. John in the beginning absolutely refused it said he wouldn't need it. His RO told him he only had two patients make it completely through treatments without one. He STRONGLY advised John to get one saying that once the treatments got started he did not want them to stop so he could have a PEG placed. He told us that the body fights a lot harder when it is properly nourished and hydrated. John reluctantly agreed and got one two weeks before treatments started. He didn't start using it until around week three of treatments. Even with it in he lost 30 lbs. He managed to avoid being hospitalized during treatments for dehydration. He continued to swallow liquids every day so he never lost that ability. He had the PEG removed 2 1/2 months after treatments were over. Let's face it no one is "comfortable" with one or wants to get one. We looked at it as just another tool to fight this cancer. Good luck!


Wanda (47) caregiver to husband John (56) age at diag.(2009)
1-13-09 diagnosed Stage IV BOT SCC (HPV+)
2-12-09 PEG placed, 7-6-09 removed
Cisplatin 7 weeks, 7 weeks (35) IMRT
4-15-09 - treatment completed
8-09,12-09-CT Scans clear, 4-10,6-11-PET Scans clear
4-2013 - HBO (30 dives) tooth extraction
10-2019 - tooth extraction, HBO (10 dives)
11-2019 - Left lateral tongue SCC - Stage 2