Treatment timescale expectations

Hi

It’s sounds hard having delays when you just want to get going.  I was with the team at St Thomas’s London and a local oncology team.  I didn’t experience any delays but I was told that it is a relatively slow growing cancer and so delays to chemo, within reason, would not make any difference.  They were not able to give a date for surgery until the chemo was completed although I was told ideally it would be 6-8 weeks after. I was told they need to know you have recovered from the chemo before you have the op.  It was about 2-3 weeks after the last round of chemo before anyone got in touch with me then it all seemed to start happening quite fast including meeting the consultant, dietitian, physiotherapist etc. before surgery. 

The chemo after the op I was told would be early Jan about 3 months after the op but as I has complications and was in hospital longer than expected I didn’t start the chemo until Feb.  

I hope things start going more smoothly and your Dad recovers well. 

Thanks for your reply. Part of me did think they would need to see how you recover from chemo before they operate so that's reassuring. I wasn't aware this was kind of slow growing so again that's really reassuring. I hope your recovery from now speedy and smooth x

Hi I think that you have been reassured by JacPop’s answer but just to say that you can always contact the nurse team on the Ask an Expert link and they will reply to your concerns, I can appreciate your worries with delays. I have been very fortunate with timings and contact from my different teams but luckily I seem to have a guardian angel who looks after me- my main Consultant- you will find that the team have to discuss fully any tests before any treatment plans are put in place 

I would also suspect that your Dad may have another scan before next steps to see if the tumour has shrunk and exact position of it, only by other entries have I seen this as I only had chemo and radiotherapy 

I hope the next steps go well for him and please come back if you want more support 

Both take care 

Tony

I say this for the benefit of anyone else reading who feels abit lost, the Ask A Nurse facility is absolutely brilliant.  The weekend the RCN announced they would be inviting cancer care staff to strike, we were beside ourselves as it was planned for the day my Dad was due to start chemo. My Mum contacted Macmillan and spoke to a nurse over the phone who gave not only really good practical advice and reassurance  but provided a wonderful listening ear when we were struggling 

Really glad MacMillan helped 

hope all goes well 

Tony

Hi there, I just want to point out that it depends what type of cancer it is as to whether it’s slow growing or aggressive and fast.  I had adenocarcinoma cancer of Esophagus last year and this is an aggressive fast growing one.  Luckily it was caught early, operated on and has now gone, fingers crossed for good!  I don’t want to worry you so sorry if I am, - I do believe that the most common form though is the squamous cell which is the slow growing one. Good luck on your journey 

Hi sorry to here about your delay, my hubby is with Nottingham City,  he finished his 4 rounds of flot on the 1st Feb and we got our surgery at the end of this month, he is same t2n1m0. Have faith in them speak to your macmillan nurses they have been so good to us. Good luck fingers crossed 

Thanks for responding. That'll help us manage our expectations then. So around7/8 weeks between chemo and surgery. Hope your husband is doing OK and all the best for the surgery. Such a scary time x

Hi there, just wanted to say my 79 year old husband had a total Gastrectomy at Notts hospital 11 Jan, he found everything fine. Good luck with your dads journey X

Hi yes I will update on here when he's had his operation,  everyone on here has been so helpful with advice and experiences, it's such a worrying time and no one is the same but we are all in the same place, I know how you feel, our nurse says to us that a lot happens in the background but hope his chemo goes OK the nurses are lovely