Recent diagnosis - Stage 1

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BobHaze
BobHaze Member Posts: 161 Member
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I was diagnosed with EC a month ago from the biopsies after a routine surveillance endoscopy. I got lucky and had an endoscopic ultrasound a week later, which confirmed the diagnosis and showed that the lesion is growing into the wall of my esophagus. But it also showed that it was very small and only into the 1st mucous layer, and the PET scans a week later seem to show that there's no cancer anywhere else. But I do need an MIE, and my wife and I met with the surgeon at Mass General Hospital last week, who said I am early Stage 1, I don't need chemo or radiation before the surgery, and he thinks I should be "cured" (his word!) after the surgery.
It's scary nonetheless, but I almost feel guilty after reading some of the Stage III and IV stories here on the board. The gastroenterologist and the surgeon emphasized that I won't know if I'm cancer-free or not until the path reports from the nodes and biopsies from the surgery, but I'm optimistic because they seem to be. Still...

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  • Wpturner05
    Wpturner05 Member Posts: 114
    #2
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    AWESOME!!! AMAZING !!!
    AWESOME!!! AMAZING !!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!!! That is exceptional news!! I truly cannot wait to hear your journey of success!! Thank you for sharing :)
  • fredswilma
    fredswilma Member Posts: 185
    #3
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    Hi and Welcome
    Please do not
    Hi and Welcome
    Please do not feel guilty, for being stage 1, you are still going on a journey that I don't believe anyone wants to be on, I wish you the best for your surgery you will be in my thoughts and I know that everyone here will be hoping that you do end up cancer free, please let us know how you get on.
    Ann
  • jthomas233
    jthomas233 Member Posts: 85
    #4
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    That's GREAT NEWS!
    Sorry about your diagnosis, but I'm sure you realize by now how much worse the diagnosis could have been! It seems to me that with more "surveillance endoscopies", we could do a much better job of getting a handle on this disease.

    I go under the knife on the 8th. I had the chemo and radiation. I would have to say that the combined regimen was EVEN WORSE THAN THE NEW SPIDERMAN MUSICAL! Be glad you missed it!

    I hope you are pushing to get this scheduled asap! Good luck and keep us posted!
  • birdiequeen
    birdiequeen Member Posts: 319
    #5
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    Similar stage
    My husband's cancer was also found during a routine surveillance and was stage 1 with no Chemo or radiation before surgery. They wasted no time getting him to surgery. Less than a month from diagnoses he was having the THE surgery locally (we explored national options too). One of the things I remember dealing with was family not convinced he "had" to have the surgery. It is very hard to wrap your head around being "able" to have the surgery. There are risks, but it is the best treatment for this cancer. Don’t feel any guilt; I’m sure everyone on this site hopes that routine scopes become more widely used. My husband did very well though surgery and was out of the hospital in 8 days and back at work within three months. There have been some low time and he still gets frustrated with the new eating process (small amounts, slowly eating) and there are new sensations for him as well. Such as the feeling of being “full” is the difference between one bit and the next. Our lives are very similar to what it was before. Yet, for me the cloud of possible reoccurrence seems to weigh heavy. So I learn from this site. Study things I need to watch for and try to move on otherwise. He has stopped reading the internet, and is just living.

    I wish you the best for your surgery!
  • flmo
    flmo Member Posts: 65
    #6
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    I understand why you feel somewhat guilty.
    Mu husband was also diagnosed as early stage 1-no chemo or radiation needed. He had an MIE at UPMC with Dr. Luketich in Feb. It's now 6 months later and he is doing well. We went out for pizza the other night and he had a beer along with the pizza-his first since surgery. Life is good! I feel guilty telling you this with all of the dire stories of the stage IV patients on this site,but I wanted to let you know that there is life after MIE and it can be good.

    Best of luck.
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #7
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    GREAT TO HEAR THAT NEWS!!
    Hello and welcome, from a STAGE IVb.
    I am so relieved to hear that you were diagnosed at such an early stage!
    Would that it were so for me, but DO NOT FEEL ANY GUILT or be afraid to share your story or your recovery here with us!!!

    There are a bunch of GREAT folks on here that can answer ANY questions you are about to have, and guild you down the road as you approach your MIE surgery. There are MANY here who have already had the MIE and you have one of the best doctors out there from what I have read. You are in good hands, here, and at your hospital too. That's great!

    We NEED the uplifting stories or this would ALL be DIRE! That's no good for anyone.
    It is the people who have made it and stick around to share their experience strength and hope with the rest of us that make this site work! William is one, there are many. Some were even stage III and had surgery, and everyone is welcome here.

    I hate to think people aren't posting because some of us don't have the hope of surgery, but like others have said, I will praise the day that preventive endoscopes are the NORM and not because someone has to go to their GI doc when they cannot swallow bread!
    That would be progress, and that's how they do it in Japan and other Asian countries as they have such a high incidence of this type of cancer due to their high salt diets, or so they think.

    I am so glad you posted and that you are here with us! WELCOME!
    I wish I didn't have to welcome anyone here but it's a double-edged sword for sure on that.
    I may not be able to have surgery or even live to see 45, but I am still grateful any time someone either comes through and makes it to the other side or can just have surgery, or just chemo, or radiation, anything that KEEPS THEM ALIVE and with their loved ones. THAT should be our goal! It would be mine if it could be. I am grateful for today and nothing you or anyone else could say will shatter my world beyond having that doctor come in and tell us "Its cancer." SO don't sweat it and share share share!

    You are one of the few who catches it early and very well can be CURED. That should be celebrated if you are asking me! SO you know how I feel I think!

    Please keep us posted and let us know when and what and how!
    We will hope for all good news.

    -Eric
  • GerryS
    GerryS Member Posts: 227 Member
    #8
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    chemosmoker said:

    GREAT TO HEAR THAT NEWS!!
    Hello and welcome, from a STAGE IVb.
    I am so relieved to hear that you were diagnosed at such an early stage!
    Would that it were so for me, but DO NOT FEEL ANY GUILT or be afraid to share your story or your recovery here with us!!!

    There are a bunch of GREAT folks on here that can answer ANY questions you are about to have, and guild you down the road as you approach your MIE surgery. There are MANY here who have already had the MIE and you have one of the best doctors out there from what I have read. You are in good hands, here, and at your hospital too. That's great!

    We NEED the uplifting stories or this would ALL be DIRE! That's no good for anyone.
    It is the people who have made it and stick around to share their experience strength and hope with the rest of us that make this site work! William is one, there are many. Some were even stage III and had surgery, and everyone is welcome here.

    I hate to think people aren't posting because some of us don't have the hope of surgery, but like others have said, I will praise the day that preventive endoscopes are the NORM and not because someone has to go to their GI doc when they cannot swallow bread!
    That would be progress, and that's how they do it in Japan and other Asian countries as they have such a high incidence of this type of cancer due to their high salt diets, or so they think.

    I am so glad you posted and that you are here with us! WELCOME!
    I wish I didn't have to welcome anyone here but it's a double-edged sword for sure on that.
    I may not be able to have surgery or even live to see 45, but I am still grateful any time someone either comes through and makes it to the other side or can just have surgery, or just chemo, or radiation, anything that KEEPS THEM ALIVE and with their loved ones. THAT should be our goal! It would be mine if it could be. I am grateful for today and nothing you or anyone else could say will shatter my world beyond having that doctor come in and tell us "Its cancer." SO don't sweat it and share share share!

    You are one of the few who catches it early and very well can be CURED. That should be celebrated if you are asking me! SO you know how I feel I think!

    Please keep us posted and let us know when and what and how!
    We will hope for all good news.

    -Eric

    Great reply Eric.........
    I agree with Eric 100%... We are all in this together and pledge our support to all.

    Gerry
  • swagner
    swagner Member Posts: 21
    #9
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    Stage 1
    Hi, I too was embarrased after reading people with 2 - 3 and 4 - my heart breaks for them. Don't get me wrong I so grateful to God I didn't have to have chemo or radiation and they removed my esopagus along with lymph nodes. Had surgery at Unive of Penn in Philadelphia and they said they wanted to be aggressive due to this type of cancer. I read peoples comments and pray for them. I am grateful to have a site to hear more about this cancer. I'm doing better but still struggle with food. I no longer have an appitite, I eat to survive but so grateful I'm still on this planet and I take nothing for granted. Good luck and you will be in my prayers.
  • BobHaze
    BobHaze Member Posts: 161 Member
    #10
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    swagner said:

    Stage 1
    Hi, I too was embarrased after reading people with 2 - 3 and 4 - my heart breaks for them. Don't get me wrong I so grateful to God I didn't have to have chemo or radiation and they removed my esopagus along with lymph nodes. Had surgery at Unive of Penn in Philadelphia and they said they wanted to be aggressive due to this type of cancer. I read peoples comments and pray for them. I am grateful to have a site to hear more about this cancer. I'm doing better but still struggle with food. I no longer have an appitite, I eat to survive but so grateful I'm still on this planet and I take nothing for granted. Good luck and you will be in my prayers.

    Thanks!
    Thanks so much to everyone for your comments. I'm already SO glad I found this site - I feel so much love and support and empathy from you all, and you don't even know me! But you do understand my fears and my situation, which only others in a similar boat can. I've told only a few family and friends so far, and per the saying "a problem shared is a problem halved," it has helped. But today I told my sister-in-law, who is a survivor of Stage 1 Breast Cancer last year, and she understood on a wholly different level than everyone else. She gets it, and you folks get it, and that is very comforting!

    It's only been 2 business days since I met with the surgeon but I haven't heard back from his Assistant yet with a date for the surgery, so tomorrow morning (today was a holiday, of course) I will call her and start bugging her about it. I'm lucky on so many levels, but I WANT THIS THING OUT OF ME!!

    Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.

    Bob
  • NikiMo
    NikiMo Member Posts: 342
    #11
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    BobHaze said:

    Thanks!
    Thanks so much to everyone for your comments. I'm already SO glad I found this site - I feel so much love and support and empathy from you all, and you don't even know me! But you do understand my fears and my situation, which only others in a similar boat can. I've told only a few family and friends so far, and per the saying "a problem shared is a problem halved," it has helped. But today I told my sister-in-law, who is a survivor of Stage 1 Breast Cancer last year, and she understood on a wholly different level than everyone else. She gets it, and you folks get it, and that is very comforting!

    It's only been 2 business days since I met with the surgeon but I haven't heard back from his Assistant yet with a date for the surgery, so tomorrow morning (today was a holiday, of course) I will call her and start bugging her about it. I'm lucky on so many levels, but I WANT THIS THING OUT OF ME!!

    Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.

    Bob

    It's not bugging...but get use to calling
    Hi Bob,

    Welcome to the group, although wish you didn't have to join it! My husband has stage IIB EC, he has gone through chemo and rads and tomorrow he will have his THE surgery at John Hopkins. We are hoping for a cure and to get there we must pass through the OR!

    Just a note about the doctors, don't feel like your bugging them, remember they work for you (well your insurance company...but you pay them!). I have found that I need to stay on top of them, they have so many patients, but that is my role as the caregiver. We have really grown to care for our doctor's. We actually got a call from one of the nurse practitioners last week saying she would be praying for Jeff during his surgery. Can't get more caring then that.

    Again welcome to our little corner of the world.

    Niki
    Wife of Jeff T2N1M0

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