FLOT

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Hi There,

My husband is half way through his Chemo and just started his Radio therapy for upper esophageal cancer.. They said they cant operate as its too near a main artery so Chemo and Radio is the only treatment they offered.  However, everyone is talking about their FLOT treatment and he was not offered this.  n asking our team today they said that its because he's not having an operation, only radio therapy and you cant have FLOT with Radiotherapy. Does anyone know if this is correct because I understand that in some cases FLOT is being used with radiotherapy!!

  • I'm not sure but if he's having radiotherapy I think whatever chemo he's having will be for the best. FLOT is a pretty harsh type of chemo and I was told it can only be used by itself without other therapies.

  • Hi

    I had 4 cycles of Cisplatin, 12 weeks of Capecitabine tablets twice a day, and 25 radiotherapy which started on the same day as the 3rd cycle of Cisplatin, no operation. The majority of people on this forum have FLOT-operation-FLOT but there are a few of us who had chemoradiation and no operation. 

    I had my treatment in 2021, I'm nearly 3 years clear. 

    Amanda 

  • Hi Amanda 

    Can I ask what type of cancer you had, what Stage was it and whereabouts it was?

    Thanks 

    Anthony 

  • Hi Anthony 

    Mine was squamous cell carcinoma,T2N0M0, mid oesophagus. It blocked my oesophagus completely. 

    When discussing my treatment plan in April 2021, my consultant said that in non-covid times the standard treatment plan would have been chemotherapy, radiotherapy then operation, but as I was young-ish (53), generally fit & healthy, and the hospital was under a lot of pressure due to covid, they suggested radical chemoradiation which would give me 'an 18 month window to have the operation if needed'. Thankfully the radical chemoradiation worked. 

    When I went for a check up in August 2022, my consultant told me that if I'd just been diagnosed at that point then the treatment plan would've been chemotherapy, radiotherapy then operation, and that covid, in my case, had done me a favour by pushing me onto the alternative treatment plan. 

    Hope that helps. 

    Amanda