New to this forum and trying my best to navigate some uncertainty, so appreciate any thoughts based upon your experience.
After four cycles of FLOT and my tumor being stabilzed. Tumor specifcally is a T3 n1 bulky distal oesophageal adenocarcinoma involving the lesser curve of the stomach I thought I was heading for surgery until the Surgeon decided to change direction, the was backed up by a discussion in the multidisciplinary team meeting. The Surgery he was going to perform was to remove the stomach and connect the remains of the oesophagus to the small intestine. I am now referred back to the oncologist who is going to start me off on paclitaxel and ramucirumab. Both the surgeon and oncologist are really experienced and I have no doubt that if he felt surgery would have been positive he would have gone ahead, in his words he felt that rather than prolonging my life it may work in the other direction. He also carried out the Laparascopy so he has had a look.
I understand that the aim is to keep the cancer stable and the fact that at the moment I am in good health and can eat is a positive. Has anyone been in this position as whilst each cancer and tumor is different it seems that all the studies and life expectancy outcomes make tough reading.
Regards
Richard
Hi Historyman
I am not a member of this forum as I don’t have oesophageal cancer. I am one of the community champions on the breast cancer forums and the incurable cancer forum, as I have metastatic breast cancer. I noticed you hadn’t had a reply and thought that, although my experience is different, there were some similarities, and I hope you don’t mind me chipping in.
My triple negative breast cancer had spread to my liver. Surgery wasn’t an option because the cancer had already spread and could have been anywhere, even though it was only found in my liver I had two tumours, in different segments, rapidly growing with the larger one developing satellite tumours I was treated with Paclitaxel plus a different immunotherapy drug, with a different mechanism of action to yours but suitable for my cancer type. The effect on the tumours was significant I did need to stop the treatment after about 5 months due to adverse effects from the immunotherapy. As I am sure you know, these drugs can be game changers but they can also carry a heavy payload of problems. However the tumours had almost disappeared and were possibly just scar tissue at that point. After 6 months of them not changing in size at all I had an ablation procedure just in case I have been in full remission since then. The cancer was first found in 2022.
It’s always disappointing not to be able to have surgery but surgery of the scale you would need carries huge risks. It might be a simpler procedure becomes a possibility at a later stage.
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Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
I am a Macmillan volunteer.
I have metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer, in remission
