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Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Improves Survival in Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer
FYI I came across this information today. See link http://www.ascopost.com/articles/october-2010/neoadjuvant-chemoradiation-improves-survival-in-patients-with-advanced-esophageal-cancer.aspx Sal
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Polyp
I had a follow up endoscopy yesterday. While I don't have the biopsy results yet, the photo and surgeons report said there is evidence of a "occgastric polyp". Has anyone ever had one of them come up? Danielle
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Atlanta EC Support Group Lunch - Reminder
Late November and December are such busy times for most of us that I decided to schedule a single EC Lunch for the holiday months. The December lunch for the Atlanta EC support group will be held on Saturday, December 3rd. We'll gather at La Madeleine's at Perimeter Center West at 11 AM. I know 11 is a bit early for lunch,…
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Surgery or not
My X's wife was diagnosed about 2 months ago with Stage III EC. She has gone through chemo & radiation & upon conclusion, the doctors were VERY pleased with her progress. Surgery was scheduled for yesterday but postponed as she has lost too much weight, can't keep food down, has no appetite. Upon consulting with their…
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Furnished apartments near M D Anderson
Our plan when we go for tests is to stay either with friends or at the hotel that is linked to M D Anderson (one would be cheaper plus the support would be nice, but the other may be more convenient if there is a lot of testing and down time in between - being able to walk back across the walkway to the hotel sounds…
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When to say ok it's enough
I'm from the Midwest, NW IN, right outside of Chicago. We only get Chicago news, we are on Chicago time. Today the city said good bye to Maggie Daley, former first lady of Chicago for 22 years. For 9 years she gallantly battled metasized breast cancer. She had all the cancer treaments, surgeries. It was all done at…
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Whoa! So much to catch up on...
Hey to all! Just thought I would pop in here and let all of you know how very sorry I am that I have not been on in such a while. With the move, unpacking, getting settled, Eric's meds, Hopsice, Family, Friends, and everything else, I have just been too exhausted to read or post. Lame I know. After the day is through, I…
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Gone but I'll be back!
Hard as it is to leave mom, I am off to Israel tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. I spent a good portion of the day on the phone with pharmacy and docs getting things organized and arranged. Mom is feeling my departure and is a bit apprehensive, but my brother is quite capable of helping as is her cousin who is with her 24/7. Hugs and…
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Thanks for the prayers and concern
I think I have mentioned a few times that my husband is an amazing man, and he continues to be. The bleeding he experienced last Friday stopped and his right arm and leg have strengthened to where he is almost walking on his own. One of my concerns is that his feet have started to swell, but none of the doctors have given…
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I am so sick of waiting
Last October we saw that the tumour markers appeared to be rising after 6 free years. So we waited 3 months for the next check and then the one after. Then we waited for CT results, PET results, oncology appointments, blood tests, laparoscopy surgery, liver surgeon appointments, chemo to start, chemo to stop, liver fluid…
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New here and scared to death.
Hi all.. I have reading the discussions and first let me say I am soo sorry that everyone has to deal with the damn cancer either persoanally or if they are dealing with a loved one. This truly sucks to put it bluntly. My father is 74 and was was having problems swallowing. He was rushed to the hospital cause a piece of…
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Treatment week...
Well, here we are...Treatmetn Week. We have Chemo Doc appointment tomorrow, then start Chemo Wednesday bright and early. Dad is doing the Platinol, Epirubicin, 5FU (6 day countinous infusion)protocol we believe based on medical oncologist meeting last week. What major symptoms should I expect this week?
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Words
Mets, Rads, 5FU, PICC, all words that were never in my vocabulary until end of September. I don't like those words. Wish I never had to know what they meant.
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Terminology question
Does anybody understand how doctors use these terms and the distinctions between them? NED- as in no evidence of disease Clean Response Remission "disease free" "cure" Just wondering if this has been clearly explained to anyone. Would appreciate some insight Cora
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So many "newbies"
Just wanted to suggest to the " newbies" to create an " About Me" page. This let's everyone know more about you without having to try to go back to all your old posts to see what your stage was, if you are caregiver or survivor, what your treatment plan is, etc. You can create this by Looking at the yellow line at the top…
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Cholesterol medications and reflux-anyone on meds prior to dx?
Just a thought............My husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and has had an an esophagectomy. I think we are all shocked at the time of diagnosis and then later are doing a lot of thinking about causes, etc. I, myself, have been diagnosed with silent reflux after waking up with a sore throat and hoarse voice…
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Post op 4 months followup
Pet/ct scans WAS all clear. Doctor wants to see me in February. What a nice thing it was to add this to my list this pass Thanksgiving. GOD IS GREAT....
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MIE surgeon at M D Anderson
I have read so many wonderful reports here about the MIE surgeon at Pittsburgh. Does anyone have experience with a MIE surgeon at M D Anderson? Freida
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Serious Cough, Seriously Malnourished
The last couple of weeks have been rough with my dad to say the least. Treatments are starting to catch up to him and I had to have him transported to the ER last weekend because he was so fatigued. He now weighs under 100 lbs. His blood work was fine and so they gave him 2 bags of fluids and they discharged him. The last…
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A great comment from Dad yesterday
As everyone was finished eating yesterday I was sitting next to my Dad and he said something striking to me. We have been with the doctors, or an imaging appt for the past ten days straight with each appt seemingly accompanying worse and worse news. So Dad was just taking in the company and said "isn't it amazing how happy…
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Super good doctor appt today
So Tom and I drove up the the U of Chicago to meet with Dr. Villifor. All is fine, she said. All that can be seen is a teeny 3-4 mm spot. I asked do they know if there is cancer in the spot? She said, no not for sure but the statistics say yes there will be. Of course the only way to know is a ultrasound endoscope and…
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Husband just diagnosed with esophageal cancer but don't know stage yet
Hubby has been having trouble with solid food getting stuck in esophagus - went to doc and had barium xray, ct scan, biopsy, etc. So far diagnosis is adenocarcinoma, but the gastro doc did not know the stage. They are sending him to U of M hospital in Ann Arbor, MI but don't know when yet. Why wouldn't the doc know the…
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New to this - how long does it usuallt take before treatment starts?
Hi My husband was just diagnosed. It was found 2 weeks ago when he went for a colonoscopy and Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (he had previously been diagnosed with barret's). Had a CT scan the same day which showed it seemed to be localized. The doc who found it seemed to think the treatment would be chemo and radiation and…
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Dumb things people say to you.....
Admist all the sadness and grief lately I wanted to share a few anecdotes of my life as a stage iv survivor since July 5th of this year. I have a good friend who is also stage iv with sarcoma--we have been talking and sharing walks and how people unintentially say dumb things to you. Or have no gravity of what stage iv…
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Update on Bill's post-op chemo
It's been a scramble but after seeing FIVE oncologists in four states, we finally found one who recommended post-op chemo for Bill. (T3N1M0 at diagnosis, but 5/22 positive nodes after surgery.) After a lot of pestering, we were able to get in with Dr. Joseph Rubin at Mayo (thanks, mruble)and we are having a local…
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Radiation Boost anyone?
Mom will be finishing her rads and chemo around Dec 12 (a day after I get back from Israel). They will start Radiation Boost when the current Rads cease. She will swallow a lead and they will radiate from inside the esophagus to "get" the nodes that are surrounding the original tumor. It is unconfirmed if those nodes are…
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Chemosmoker?
How are you feeling lately?
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Surgery. It's been 7 months and he's still sick.
My husband Rod had his surgery back in April. I don't recall the name of the procedure. They removed the dead cancer along with most of his esophagus, and used his stomach to make an esophagus. He had prior heart surgery so they had to go through his back on his right side just under his shoulder blade and also in the…
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND PAIN MANAGEMENT IDEALS. Love to you ALL today on T day....
Good Morning friends......
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Cheryl and Rickie
I just wanted to let you know you and your family have been so much in my thoughts and prayers today and this past week. Angie