Michael,

I can't give you much of a viewpoint one way or the other on the Erbitux option. However, having been treated in what seems like the Pleistocene era with general radiation, I have slowly witnessed the return of spit over time, with some help from Salagen along the way. (Also, as I understand it, I might not have been a candidate for IMRT anyway because of the nature of my tumor.) My point is that you don't have to assume that your salivary function is gone if you don't have IMRT.

I have to agree with Nelie's post about making sure you get to a dentist that knows how to work with oral cancer patients and can continue on with you post-radiation. There are too many potential complications under these circumstances and you want someone who can be prepared to anticipate them.

Cathy