newbee

Hi allan welcome you have come to the right place for advice.

In my dads case he had tge following swollowing problems ( felt like food was getting stuck ) had endoscopy which showed cancer in the Oesophagus. This followed with ct , pet scan . All these indicated that there was no spread outside the  oesophagus. 

This was followed by a day of blood tests to check kidneys before chemo then within 4 month dad had surgery. 1 yr post op and dad is doing great !!! 

Keep posiitive xxx 

thank you,glad to hear your dad doing well, keep in contact, lets us know how its all going.

No problem same applies to you happy to offer advice whenever i can. You can message me on here 

Of course you are worried.

Your specialist nurse is your new best friend and they will be able to fill in all the gaps for you. So phone them, leave a message and they will get back to you.

as far as the treatment pathway goes... first come all the scans and tests then the MDT will discuss your results and advise you of the best treatment for you. If you are young(ish) fit and otherwise well then surgery is probably the best option, if offered, as it give the chance of a cure. Before surgery most undergo several cycles of chemotherapy, which most people deal with ok. The reason for this is unclear for most people, but the best reason I have heard is that it indicates whether the tumour is susceptible to chemo should it return post op. 

The surgery is major! But if you are dreamed fit enough by the MDT then you should make a steady recovery. The recovery is slow but in most cases steady, taking the best part of a year to resume a healthy lifestyle. 

Oesophageal cancer shouldn’t stop you living. No one knows how long we have or what’s round the corner so continue to enjoy life, friends and family. Go with the flow of hospital appointments and trust your medical team, they do a fantastic job.

Consider this period of your life as a bit of a traffic jam, something to be endured, but believe that it will clear and stay positive as your attitude will have a huge influence on your ability to deal with stuff.

I am 5 years post diagnosis and believe me I am happier now that I have ever been because I have learned to treasure and enjoy every day.

Keep posting and asking questions, but don’t google!  Wishing you all the best.

Hi Allan, once your results have been analysed you will be given a staging. In my case it was T3 N2 M0 which I think meant it was in certain layers of the oesophagus and some local lymph nodes but had not spread anywhere else. The mdt decide what they think is your best option, but ultimately the decision on the treatment is yours. I decided against the pre surgical chemotherapy and radiotherapy and just went for the surgery. It's quite normal to be on the emotional rollercoaster, try not to have yourself in the grave just yet ! As Brent said as hard as it sounds, try to be positive and retain a sense of humour, it really does help you get through it. I was 57 when diagnosed in July 2016, I had the Ivor Lewis surgery in October 2016 and I am still enjoying life. Keep in touch and kind regards Frank.

Hi, I've just been diagnosed  and both Brent and Frank's stories have helped me a lot, thanks for posting these. Awaiting my CT scan date and then we'll see how things are. But I'm being positive. Mark

My hubby was diagnosed in March 2 tumours T4 & T3 inoperable, quality of life care only thing available, previously fit and healthy 57 year old bricklayer. He was unable to swallow at all and given feed tube same day of diagnosis. After 4 sessions of chemo he had another CT scan the oncologist told us 4 weeks ago that they had shrunk significantly and he should try to eat again and that he is going to speak to the surgeons again to ask them if there is anything they can do now they have shrunk.

He started trying to eat straight after he was told but the feed tube was getting in the way so took the gamble and had it removed. He has come on amazing since then put on a few pounds but looks healthier, not back to what he was but 100% better than her was 6 weeks ago when I truly thought we would lose him. We will find out on Wednesday what is going to happen next but to see him today is amazing, and we are now making plans for our daughters 18th next month.

I suppose what I am trying to say to you with this story is regardless of what they diagnose and how bad it sounds and is, there is still hope and you can still fight xx

Good luck Allan xx

Thanks for sharing this. I hope all goes really well for you both.

It's happening with my husband now , your story fills me with hope x thankyou