Michelle,

I had a Stage II tumor with no evidence of lymph node involvement; however, my tumor was poorly-differentiated, which was probably a factor in the planning of my radiation treatment. I had no options other than conventional radiation, as IMRT wasn't available in 1989. While I had a tough time getting through it and for several months afterward, I don't think my experience was any worse than many of the people here who have had IMRT -- in fact, I think it was better than some. Although it was extremely difficult, I did keep eating entirely by mouth all the way through treatment (I was never offered a PEG), and only lost about 12-15 pounds. At that time there was nothing that could be done from a preventive standpoint to preserve salivary function, but I have still regained quite a bit of it through a combination of medication, good oral hygiene, and normal healing. I long ago got back to the point where I can eat virtually anything I want to, and I can't say I have ANY residual quality of life issues related to XRT.

My point is that you can gather a great deal of information about different people's experiences with radiation, but as one of the recent commercials goes: "you can't predict, you can prepare". I think the key is to be sure her medical team is convinced about (and has explained to you) the reasons for their choice of treatment. Beyond that, try to stay focused on her nutrition and hydration every single day, and watch for any early signs of infection so they can be dealt with immediately.

Cathy