Thank you SO much for all your feedback and words of wisdom.

I will give David all your points of view, experiences and knowledge. I regret that I seemed to have opened a can of worms. This was so not my intention. Next time, I will try to read more before asking ?s that have may been answered previously.

From my perspective the choice is clear, I would have the PEG just to keep my nutrients to a ultimate maximum but I am not in David's shoes.

Time often allows to define denial of the disease and battling/facing cancer and taking actions. I can't say where David's at right now but I know that he is not a man that kneeled easily in time of challenges and for him to say to me that it is a big deal and he doesn't know if he is going to be able to deal with it sends me a few flags that I can ignored as a soul mate. I am just afraid that he will be down emotionally because of it even before starting radiotherapy which is I know and I have seen it (although for ENT cases)can be invasive.

Now regarding the radiotherapy, you are scaring me here. The first plan (b4 X-Mas) was that David would have radiotherapy on both sides and then 3 cycles of cisplatin. Last week our radio-oncologist phoned David and explained that he had consulted his colleagues overseas (Canada and Australia) and they had all agreed that in a case like David, radiotherapy 70 Gy side and 52 Gy front for 7 weeks was the appropriate treatment. He went on in saying that the recurrence in his right side ( primary site) is 10% and is 20% on the other side. They felt confident since the nodes were encapsulated ( I think!!) and margins were clear and nothing was found in the neck muscles.

Did they took this in consideration balancing stats/quality of life/survival, I can't say BUT I will make sure I share your advice with David and we will have a chat with our radio-oncologist.

Again thank you and I will keep you posted. Not sure if it's appropriate though!!

ciao,Marie-Lyne

Hello Marie-lyne

Welcome to another member from down-under. I am sure that you and your husband will find answers to many of your questions here as treatment progresses. Others will also benefit from your questions and the answers, so ask away.

Cancer patients seem to react very differently to similar treatments I have learned. I would imagine that a PEG tube will help David since he has tongue cancer and will undergo chemo. However he can always ask for it later on if it is needed.

I had tonsil cancer, radiation both sides and throat but no chemo. I didn't use a feeding tube and lost lots of weight.

For the record, 3 yrs since diagnosis and I am so well I can't believe it. I didn't believe it was possible back then. So stick with it and know that you will both get there.

Love and light from Helen

Just stirring the pot here. My John has lost an additional 10 lbs.[that he could not afford to lose] since his peg was removed. Amy