Welcome to the family, Peter. Very often, what makes it difficult for a patient to swallow during rads and chemo is not a lack of will, but the pain that is associated with mucositis and the lack of appetite/nausea as a result of the chemo. If the patient's pain threshold is high, then by all means forego the PEG, but if there is doubt at all, then having the PEG to fall back on is a good idea. That's from my caregiving experience.

Gloria
She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails... Elizabeth Edwards

Wife to John,dx 10/2012, BOT, HPV+, T3N2MO, RAD 70 gy,Cisplatinx2 , PEG in Dec 6, 2012, dx dvt in both legs after second chemo session, Apr 03/13 NED, July 2013 met to lungs, Phase 1 immunotherapy trial Jan 18/14 to July/14. Taxol/carboplatin July/14. Esophagus re-opened Oct 14. PEG out April 8, 2015. Phase 2 trial of Selinexor April to July 2015. At peace Jan 15, 2016.