Nancy,

If you have some questions about the skill level at your local cancer center, it may make sense to get another opinion before the radiation starts. However, it may turn out that your husband's RO has good reasons for her approach.

I didn't even have the option of IMRT, as it wasn't around when I had radiation (nor was the use of ethyol to help preserve saliva). While I experienced significant dry mouth problems for quite some time afterward, my salivary function has in fact returned far more than I ever thought it would. I can eat virtually anything I want, and I rarely find myself needing to have a water supply close at hand. (There are times when I wake up at night and find that I've been drooling on the pillow!)

A couple of weeks ago I had my annual followup visit with my RO (at a major cancer center in Boston), and I asked him how IMRT has changed his practice. He said it is extremely valuable and he uses it a great deal, but there are still some instances where it doesn't seem like the right approach. One thing to bear in mind with regard to IMRT is that, because of the precision required, you really want those involved in the process to have extensive experience with it so there's no doubt about what they're targeting and the fact that they're actually hitting it.

I hope you can get the level of assurance you need about Robert's treatment program before it gets under way.

Cathy