Please let your mother know that getting the feeding tube prior to starting treatment or during the first two weeks of treatment is standard procedure at many cancer centers. It will be too hard to put in a tube later on when the psatient is suffering from dehydration, mouth and throat pain. It is something that may help, like the mouth guard. My husband was so glad he had the tube when during week three he could not even swallow a sip of coffee, let alone the 2500 cc of water a day. If she doesn’t need it, then it will be out as soon as the doctors decide that she is eating well. If she needs it, it’s already there. I hope this helps her come to terms with it.