Hi Kim,
I had a stage IV cancer in my jaw and had surgery first then radiation. I did not have IMRT, I had conventional radiation. I did not have any chemo. That was almost 2 1/2 years ago and I am fine. I eat most anything I want and while dry mouth is an irritation, I can go all night without a drink and do fine during the day for a few hours without a sip of drink. Even with conventional radiation, they are able to miss hitting a salivary gland, which is what they did with me, saving the large gland on my noncancerous side.
Only your doctors can know what is best for you, and a second opinion is a must. Be sure you are at a CCC then make a decision and stick with it. There are no guarantees. People that had IMRT with chemo have the cancer come back, as do people that had conventional with no chemo. There are plenty in both groups that are still alive years later. This treatment is a personal experience and no two are exactly alike.
I wish you well with it,
Minnie

SCC Left Mandible. Jaw replaced with bone from leg. Neck disection, 37 radiation treatments. Recurrence 8-28-07, stage 2, tongue. One third of tongue removed 10-4-07. 5-23-08 chemo started for tumor behind swallowing passage, Our good friend and much loved OCF member Minnie has been lost to the disease (RIP 10-29-08). We will all miss her greatly.