Surviving Oesophageal Cancer

Jane

I'm so very sorry to hear that you have lost your Nick. I will be thinking of you.

Netty x

Hi Netty

I hope you are feeling a little better, if you are anything like me you will be having days where you feel you can take on the world and others where you feel absolutely wretched. As for my thoughts about your ongoing treatment; well like most important decisions it is always best to make an informed one, especially as you will ultimately have to live with the decision you make.

[Despite the chemo sensitivity of advanced disease, adjuvant chemotherapy has not been shown to confer a survival advantage and is difficult to deliver after major oesophageal surgery. Post –resection irradiation improves the loco-regional control in patients with positive resection margins, but not if there is nodal involvement.]

[The principals underlying pre-operative (neo-adjuvant) chemotherapy are that, in addition to down staging the primary tumor, micro-metastases are treated before the post-operative, stimulatory surge of growth factors.] [Reference: Oxford handbook of oncology second edition].

~Given that your resection margins were clear and that your neo adjuvant chemotherapy should have reduced the chance of any macro-metastases along with a positive biopsy showing no lymph node involvement is an excellent prognosis. I can see where your oncologist is coming from with the radiotherapy, but my opinion would be to stay away from it~. ~My unqualified opinion~.

I was advised to receive adjuvant chemotherapy after my Ivor Lewis, when I asked what my improved chances were with treatment I was told it would give me a better chance by around 6% as my biopsy showed lymph node involvement, with hindsight it would have been better if I would have had neo- adjuvant therapy, but this was not offered as all the pre op tests were good; we don’t have a crystal ball do we. I accepted the treatment, however I was so ill from the effects of the surgery, coupled with ECX combined therapy I terminated it, and no matter what happens from now on I will not regret my decision because it was an informed one going on information and the research I had undertaken; I tend to check more than one source before coming to any conclusion and what has been quoted in italics seem to bear up from other references.

Remember if your therapy is too much for you after surgery you can always stop it, my friend who has had the same op as you and me managed to get two cycles in before he folded, which was better than me!

All the Best.

Hi Snowdog

Sorry to hear of your news, you must be going through hell in your mind; I hope the meditation gives you the stamina of a Snow dog and helps you stay calm and focused throughout your difficult journey. My thoughts are with you and your children at this time, life can be so cruel by continually hitting you at your lowest times.

Good luck with your ongoing treatment plan.