Squamous Cell cancer lower oesophagus - anyone else?

Thank you. Gives me hope 

I’m 54 

what you said about chilli… well a few weeks ago, my hubby made some food and I was was complaining about too much spice and especially pepper (which I normally love- though I do have gaviscon at the ready!) Rest of the family said it was fine. It happened a few times and in hindsight it seems my body was calling ‘don’t put that in your poor broken oesophagus

Which chemo did you have? My husband's spice tolerance has definitely changed since treatment started. But is suffering severe mucositis as a side effect of the treatment.

I had 4 cisplatin infusions over 12 weeks, along with 12 weeks of twice daily capecitabine tablets. Last 5 weeks I also had daily radiotherapy. My chilli intolerance is because it gives me severe heartburn. Shame, because I love my curries, but I am glad to still be alive and eating solid food again! 

I had the same chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I now have to stick to a plain diet. No alcohol, no spices and no fatty foods either. I didn't have acid reflux before I was diagnosed but I have it now. I'm on Lansoprazole.

My oesophagus is scarred and therefore not as stretchy as before, so I have to take small bites and chew thoroughly.

I'm very grateful that the chemotherapy and radiotherapy worked for me. 

Yes! Me too! Diagnosed before Christmas, T2, mid, no spread. I’m awaiting treatment plan. Surgery, chemo and  radiation all under discussion, just waiting to hear. It all seems so real this side of Christmas and scary. Like you I’m fit and well 62 year old woman. X

How long was your journey? 

Seems so many of us fit healthy 60 plus women get this why ??
when your busy enjoying your retirement doing all the things you always wanted to do while working then bam they tell you you have cancer and it all grounds to a halt and hospital appointments blood test chemo become the normal ! Oh and by the way you are not able to eat anything!!
MAD 

Tricia 

I was diagnosed in March 2021. Had all the usual PET scan/CT scan/endoscopy etc. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy was May-August 2021. I had the stomach feeding tube in from March to October though I didn't need it for the last few months but they said they wanted to wait until the test results in October before they'd take it out. I was very poorly before I started treatment, I had lost a lot of weight and had no energy, and the chemo & radiotherapy wore me down even more. Some days I could barely drag myself out of bed and downstairs.  It took me about a year to get my fitness back. I could only walk for 5 mins around the local area to begin with, and I dozed a lot. But eventually I got back to doing my 10,000 steps a day. Bear in mind that I didn't have the operation. 

Hey Tricia 

Don't forget us fit and healthy 60 year old men too!! I was literally the fittest bloke you can imagine back in March. My FitBit told me as much! 5 days a week in the gym, keto diet, intermittent fasting, doing everything right and then five days before my 60th birthday WHAM you've got oesophageal cancer mate!! 

Anthony x

Sorry !, I know it’s mad you do your best looking after yourself exercising taking vitamins and supplements to help with this that and the other !, my diet wasn’t great carbo heavy looking back drank occasionally and I was overweight (still am ) but never a days illness no other problems ! But if you do the google thing it’s says statistically more men get it then women think that’s where I was coming from! But you have this vision of 20st lorry drivers eating a fry up and burgers every day not fit and active men getting it ! Guess cancer has its own rules ( sorry to all 20st lorry drivers) lol