Sherry, in the hospital where I got treatment, only about 25% of the Head & Neck patients are given feeding tube during their treatment. It is more common to use naso-gastric tube than the PEG one because the doctors think that it is easier to operate and has less complications. I was threatened to have one inserted when I could not swallow food. The idea of getting the tube into my nose scared me to death and I refused to have one on. I don't know if I would have agreed to having a PEG tube if I had been offered one. Anyway, I survived the whole treatment without a feeding tube and lost 16 lbs. I consider myself very lucky and everyone's experience is different. But here in Hong Kong, doctors will not suggest inserting any feeding tube at the beginning of the treatment unless there is an absolute need and that explains why majority of the patients do not have one. By the way my stage of tonsil cancer is very similar to your husband's (T2N3M0).


Karen.