Hi Danny,
It was either do the research or run through the neighborhood screaming and holding pity parties. LOL! I work as a consultant in the radiological devices field and worked for the very same company that built the LINAC that I was treated on. I just discovered IMRT days before I was scheduled to have XRT. My Head and Neck surgeon who was ordering the treatment protocol hadn't heard of IMRT either -I had to bring it to his attention. He is a great doctor, by the way, and I have complete confidence in him.
I have heard that XRT is preferable for certain types of cancer.
I had plenty of time to ponder things while my face was bolted to that table every day (but it would have been too late by then). It was overwhelming -Pull my teeth or not? 12+ hour surgery or not? Chemo or not? Radiation wasn't an option -OK -what type of radiation?. All of them being tough choices and possibly a one shot choice at that with, at very least, major quality of life issues attached to it, not even getting into the morbidity aspects. Whew! And I hate doctors - I don't go to them unless I'm dying -haven't had a physical since the 60's and don't like taking medications of any type -not even aspirin. And now I'm stuck in the middle of the system (at least that what it feels like). Doctors appts every 2 months, CT's, MRI's, PET's, bloodtests (did I forget to mention that I hate needles). Well my only explanation is the the strength to get through all of this did not come from me. The good news is I'm still breathing. I try to stay focused on what I need to do today and that helps a lot also.