Hello,
My husband was told three years ago that he had Stage 4 terminal bladder cancer. Miraculously, he could be treated with immunotherapy and had a total response. He was declared cancer-free about 18 months ago. He had difficulty swallowing but about 8 weeks ago the GP said this was likely to be steroid withdrawal and he shouldn't worry about an endoscopy because it was uncomfortable. He was given indigestion pills.. We were told he had a couple of lesions on the lungs following a scan but we were profoundly shocked to be told ten days ago that a mass had been found at the base of the oesophagus and possibly also a lymph node in the abdomen. Awaiting an endoscopy three weeks from probably diagnosis
Symptoms are some fatigue and difficulty swallowing which we are managing with a soft diet so weight loss has been reversed. He's coping as well as possible: I less so with anxiety worsened by previous experience. I am worried that the delay before the endoscopy might cause the cancer to spread and I don't know how fast an oesophagal tumour might grow. I'm also concerned that because he had been treated for cancer before, than his treatment options might be limited.
Any advice gratefully received!
Hello Wesurvived,
Welcome to the forum, I know you would prefer not to be here, but thank you for finding the strength to post and share some of your combined story with us.
All of your fears / questions are totally understandable, but unfortunately difficult to answer with any certainty, but I wanted to reply and in some way, hopefully ease your mind a little whilst you both wait on the results.
I can associate with your shock, and concern regarding what is being seen as delay in getting a clear prognosis, and in regards to how fast the tumour may grow, but without the information on what type of O.C tumour has been located, it is hard to understand what type of growth pattern there will be. In relation to whether treatment will work, as your husband has had treatment before, I would suggest that the treatment that you husband had previously has now evolved several times, and as he was able to tolerate it and be assisted by it before, we can hope that this will be the same scenario this time.
The medical team will be meeting and discussing options in the background whilst you wait on further tests, and hopefully the right treatment will be organised as quickly as possible.
Keep providing the soft diet and if you can offer foods high in anti oxidants, three weeks may seem like a lifetime, but i hope that you both will start getting the answers and treatment you need real soon .
If your husband has any questions he can contact the macmillan team directly on the number in my signature
I wish for you swift decisions on your husbands treatment and great success.
Lowe'
