OHs cancer journey.

What wonderful news!  It’s so good to hear that the chemo did its job and that the pathology was clear. Chemo will be hard but it’s the last lap and the medical team will manage the side effects!

Onwards and upwards into 2024! 

That’s fantastic news… just the last 4 rounds to go… it’s brilliant, I’m made up too… onwards and upwards. (I was stage 4 signet ring) 
Hugs to all. 
Take care 

Michele 

Hi

Thats good to hear hes got through it. 

Ive just been diagnosed with stomach cancer following a routine endoscopy for a hernia. The CT scan has shown no spread and they’ve said I’ll need chemo (float) 4 sessions followed by Surgery. I’m 59 and worried about bot the chemo and surgery, especially the thought of losing most of my stomach and part of oesophagus. Ive been reading as much as i can but would be interested in what others have been through. 

Hi.

Sorry to hear your diagnosis.  It knocks us sideways doesn't it, to say the least. 

OH is 57, so close to your age, and was told to keep his fitness up as much as possible,  and to eat healthy so his body was ready for the chemo and op. 

His first chemo ( flot) gave him gut problems, diarrhoea and cramps, buscopan really helped. His taste went, he lost his hair, ( he's bald anyway, but he lost his beloved goatie) and had ( still got) neuropathy in hand and foot,  but was told dosage could be reduced if these side effects were too much. He declined, because he wanted to stay on full dose. He could manage the side effects. He also suffered with nausea, but again, the antisickness tablets helped with that.

He suffered with thrush too. But GP prescribed a cream for that, which seemed a bit stubborn to get rid off at the time, but eventually it went. 

He end up in hospital for a week after his first round, with an infection. After IV antibiotics,  he was fine. 

Please ring your red card immediately if your worried about ANYTHING OR YOUR TEMPERATURE RISES. 

EVERYTHING should be explained to you before your treatment.  

He did suffer from fatigue at different levels, sometimes it was bad, sometimes not so bad, and after the 1st week  was up after initial chemo, he started to feel better, in time for the next round. 

He did lose some weight, most probably due to the nausea,  but he did put it all and some extra back on after the chemo had stopped ready for the op. 

He was terrified about the op. ( who wouldn't be?) but everything went to plan and went smoothly.  He was in Epoc for 3 days but that wasn't because he needed it, it was due to no beds on a normal ward. And all in all, he was in for 8 days. 

They had him up walking up the corridor the day after the op, which surprised us, and he came on like a star. 

Keep doing your lung exercises and get moving ASAP after your op. It helps with your recovery.  

Apart from a slight infection in the drainage site after he'd  come home, everything was good. 

And continues to be that way. ......just make sure you follow what they say to the letter, and what you can eat after the gastrectomy, and you won't go wrong. It was a little strange and hard to adjust too in the beginning,  but he's eating more different things now and isn't far away from what he used to eat before all this happened.  

We're expecting things to change again from this Wednesday with regards to the hair loss and eating ect...as he starts the chemo again then. ️

Anything you want to ask, just ask on here. I or someone will respond and try to give you some answers.  

Hope this helps, and were sending best wishes to you. 

Xx 

Thanks so much for this, was the tumour contained? Mine is high up in stomach and near junction of oesophagus. Theyve only told me ill have one round of chemo before the op but not said ill need a post op course. Also, did he have partial stomach removal?

thanks 

Peter

Hi

Yes, his tumour was contained inside the stomach and yours sounds like its in the same place.

His was at the junction of the oesophagus and top of stomach.  After different tests, they said no spread and it was contained. 

The normal routine for this cancer is 4 rounds of FLOT, then total gastrectomy,  with removal of lymph nodes, followed by another 4 rounds of FLOT. 

He had total stomach removal.  

We were told by his surgeon, tumours at the top of the stomach at the GOJ junction, means total gastrectomy.  

He also lost a small bottom bit of his oesophagus because of getting clear margins. 

Hope this helps, anything else, just ask. We're here. Xx

Blimey, that’s identical to mine. I’ll hear from MDT tomorrow afternoon so I’ll ask about post surgery chemo when they call me. I’m at st. james in Leeds. 
I was hoping for partial stomach removal but sounds like total is on the cards. Surgeon also said they do it by keyhole. 
thanks for your help

peter 

Hi

We're in Birmingham. 

OH's surgeon is also a key hole specialist but chose to do open surgery instead. 

If you do have key hole, for total gastrectomy,  the recovery is supposed to be easier. So we were told anyway. 

Good luck for tomorrow,  your team will guide you and look after you. 

You'll be in our thoughts, and feel free to let us know. You know where we are. 

Xx

Thank you 

Hi Peter, my husband stomach cancer was in the same place as musiclover OH and by the sound of it yours as well. He had total Gastrectomy 11th Jan last year, he also had a bit of the Osophagus removed for clear margins. He was in Notts hospital for just 7 days, he had open surgery. 22 lymph nodes clear and no spread. Because of his age 80 he didn’t have chemo. He’s doing fine, just come back from two weeks holiday in Tenerife, eating very well. 
Good luck for tomorrow xx