For what it's worth, I can't imagine how painful it must be to have to have a PEG inserted during or right afetr treatment when your throat is a raw mess (they go down the throat to insert it). I think there is misinformation being given here where posters saying things like "it appears" and "from what I've seen here" are not telling you that there is NO data indicating that having a PEG means one is less likely to swallow or more likely to develop swallowing problems, this is just their own form of illusory correlation because they observe that people with swalowing problems have PEGS. Duh. That doesn't mean the PEG caused the swallowung problem.

Again, It is cLEAR that if you develop swallowing problems, which develop from the effects of radiation, you will need a PEG to keep up the nutrition and I can't IMAGINE how agonizing it would be to have the surgery to insert a PEG (which they do by putting something down your esophagus) when your esophagus is already raw and painful from raidation. I think people telling you their pesonal mythology about why they don't have swallowing problems are playing very fast and loose with other people's lives and how well they get through treatment.

I was told by doctors at Dana Farber, one of the top CCCs in the nation that they required the PEG for all patients getting both chemo and radiation because it was so improtant to keep up nutrition during treatment. Your logic is exactly right that you don't have to use the PEG just because you have it, but having it COULD make a huge difference in how you get through treatment and your recovery.

Nelie