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Dropping HB (blood) level after chemotherapy
My family member completed chemotherapy about a year ago. She never really had her HB up to normal but she was fine until recently when the HB started dropping again. Work-up revealed no internal bleed or any cancer spread. None of the blood supplements given her by her doctor have worked. She decided to try some…
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Cyramza
Hello...My 84 year old father was diagnosed with EC stage 4 in March 2017. HER2 negative. He has other health problems so surgery was not an option. Had radiotherapy in July 2017 and started Xeloda in August 2017. Is able to eat most foods and had little side effects from both. We got results from Pet/Ct scan this week and…
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Long-term maintenance therapy for esophageal cancer
Hello all. I am a 43 year old diagnosed with HER-2 negative distal esophageal/GE junction adenocarcinoma with nodal, liver, and lung mets in September of 2017. I completed 6 cycles of FOLFOX and had a short course of radiation therapy to palliate bleeding as the tumor bled to the point that I required a transfusion. I was…
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Throat Cancer 18 years ago now Esophageal Cancer
Hi All, My 75 year old dad had throat cancer 18 years ago treated solely with radiation. He was diagnosed with Esophageal cancer the Thursday before Christmas. He started a 6 week course of chemo with Carboplatin (Paraplatin) and Paclitaxel (Taxol) weekly and 6 weeks of radiation daily. However, since he already received a…
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Excessive mouth mucous during last stages of chemo/radiation tx.
I have stage 3 EC, and have had a lot of thick mouth mucous during this last week of 6 week treatment. It can gather around the tumor and cause distress and hiccups unless I spit it out. It seems to signal nausea onset but not always. Am taking Zofran and Promethazine gel. I hydrate PO and feeding tube often as I can. Any…
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Difficulty swallowing again
Hi there! As some of you know my husband was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus! T3N1MO. He completed chem and radiation and just met with the surgeon last week! The surgeon has done MIE surgeries but says that my husband isn’t a candidate for this! We meet with him again Feb 14th to go more in depth regarding…
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Problems with esophageal stent
My husband was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer almost 1 year ago. It's been quite a struggle but he's incredibly strong (mentally & physically) so he's working hard to fight through the various treatments he's tried. He recently had a stent insterted into the esophagus (his tumor is in lower esophag...upper…
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Esophageal Stents~Pros & Cons from patients who have had them~"J" tube is better choice N my opinion
Since stents are not a big subject of discussion here, I have chosen to answer this particular letter from "Joann" on a separate topic form. Stents do have pros and cons, and a stent is not the "end all and be all" for Esophageal cancer patients who cannot swallow but need nutritional feedings to remain strong during times…
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Starting new treatment..Cyramza and Taxol
Hi, My husband was diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma in June of 2014. He has gone through all the regular treatments: Chemo, Radiation and surgery to remove 2/3 rds of the esophagus and 1/3 rd of stomach and at that time was stage 3 with a couple of suspicious lymph nodes removed. His first scan after this treatment…
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Answer 4 "KBdarnall"~Dr. Ninh Nguyen-UCIrvine-excellent Thoracic Surgeon SPECIALTY-Ivor Lewis Minima
(Note: Let me apologize for putting an entry here that is running off the right side of the margin. I don't know how to fix it and hope it doesn't happen again. So if you will move the bottom bar all the way to the right, the entire text will be visible. Sorry - Loretta) Now on with the really important information.…
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What a difference 2 weeks makes
On December 6, 2017, the GI doctor found a "fumigating bleeding 5 cm mass of malignant appearance" in the GE junction. It was a "poorly differentiated" adenocarcinoma. The next few weeks were very scary. My husband had great difficulty swallowing solid foods. He was burping, coughing and hiccuping. He lost 25 pounds and…
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University of Washington Esophageal Center
Hello, Wondering if anyone out there knows anything about the University of Washington ( Seattle ) Esophageal Center and Doctor Brant Oelschalger ? I need to have an esophagectomy soon and am trying to decide between having it done at the U of W -- or Swedish Medical Center ( Seattle ) by Doctor Brian Louie. Thanks Bob
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New to site
I was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer in December 2017. Its a T3-No-Mo localized in the junction. I have done all of the testing required and the plan as set out by my surgeon is to do 6 weeks of Chimo and Rdiation combined, then to do the surgery. I begin the Chimo today 1/23/2018. Now I want first to say that even…
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New to site
Hi all. I was happy to come across this site. It's nice to see the positivity and encouragement offered here. As you all know, there's not a lot of that in researching online. My husband was diagnosed with EC this past february. He had chemo and radiation in Asheville NC where we live then surgery at Duke in July. He did…
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Meeting the surgeon
It has been awhile since I’ve posted and wholeheartedly apologize for the delay! So much has transpired and very hectic between work, chemoradiotherapy and the holidays! My husband who was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma T3N1MO just completed chemo and radiation recently! We are meeting his surgeon next Friday! He will also…
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Pregnancy after esophageal resection
Hello. I am new to the board and hoping to get some answers. I do not have cancer, however, I had an esophageal resection in April 2013 to remove a softball size mass from the lower 2/3 of my esophagus. The surgery was performed using VATS, but during removal a hole was put in my esophagus, so they had to make a 3 inch…
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Dumping syndrome
Hi all, I just got off the phone with Jim's brother, Tom, who had Stage III EC 10 years ago. He had horrible problems with dumping after every meal. He started taking an injectible med called Sandostatin before he ate (3x a day). Once a month he gets a stronger dose called Sandostatin LAR. He also discovered that he was…
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Merry Christmas
It is XMas Eve and I feel as if I have been brought a miracle! My husband, diagnosed with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer is now able to eat real food! It has been awhile! Of course he continues to be fed through j tube to keep nutrients in him. He's unable to eat as much as he previously did but it's a start! This past Friday…
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Neuroendocrine tumor of esophagus
My mother-in-law was diagnosis April 11, 2016 with nueroendocrine tumor of the esophagus that has spread to the lymph nodes and liver. Can anyone heard of this cancer or help with treatment, trials or doctors (second opinion).
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New to the site...
Hello! My name is Amy and my husband was diagnosed with Stage IV Esophageal Cancer 4/19/2017. He was having dysphagia and almost passed out at a ball game due to it so I called and had his endoscopy scheduled immediately. The dr also ordered a swallow study to be done first. When my husband went in to dr after swallow…
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voice lost
hi i am in my 16th radiation treatement still have 14 more and i think i am loosing my voice. it s vocal cords cancer. i am getting scared and i am on my own don t have nobody to support me, with that said i have to get back to work asap! the only problem i have is that as soon as i start talking i loose my voice and…
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Best EC Oncologist & Surgeon
I am a newbie to the site and my husband was diagnosed with stage 3 adenocarcinoma October 2017. Possibly stage 4 as they found a liver met, but couldn't biopsy it, as it was too far back and the spot is the size of a of a salt grain, but are saying highly suspicious of cancer. He had 27 radiations and 5 chemos, PET Scan…
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What item to buy someone to make them feel good through chemo/radiation
This is such a difficult question to ask, and I feel that the answer may be non-materialistic. But please help if you can. My Father in Law just had cancer surgery and had his jaw bone removed. He is going through chemo and radiation tomorrow. I am going to visit him and wanted to know if I can purchase anything that would…
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Mass in groin area
Hi, My father (84 years old) completed treatment at MD Anderson for Esophageal Cancer and now is trying to get strong enough for surgery. He discovered a mass in his groin area the other day. We went to the primary care doctor and they said it was a mass that needed to be looked at by the Oncologist. Could this be related…
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Excessive saliva?
Hello- My husband has esophageal/stomach cancer and just had his 3rd chemo treatment this week (oxalyplatin & epirubicin), plus he takes 2500 mg of xeloda orally every day. A few days after his 1st chemo he started producing lots of extra saliva, and it is really bothering him. Has anyone else experienced this? His doctors…
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Please someone help me
Someone please help me, I'm so scared. I'm 47 yrs old never smoked nor been a drinker. For the last 2 weeks out of no where I began having difficulty getting food down. It sticks at the base of my throat, no matter how fine I chew my food it sticks. I have also been having a really dry mouth. I carry a water bottle with me…
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Trouble transitioning from treatment
My father is 84 and had a rough time through treatment. He lost his appetite the last 4 weeks of treatment and would not eat or drink enough to sustain himself. We tried everything and then finally got a feeding tube. Now 6 weeks out of treatment he is slowly physically recovering, but does not want to eat, do things for…
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Terrified
I do not run often. I have in the past but 2 years ago got a fairly physical and demanding and stressful job and have been lazy. For the past 6 years I sometimes get this burning/pressure in my chest. I always thought it was reflux or stress. Sometimes it was relieved by drinking water or taking tums. Sometimes I would go…
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To the one(s) left behind
My name is Ron. I was diagnosed on July 27th 2017 after a scheduled endoscopy to determine what was causing my difficulty in swallowing. Upon waking up from anesthesia was told I had a large obvious cancerous tumor that that wouldn't even allow the scope complete entry. CT confirmed 10 cm tumor upper esophagus with mets to…
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5+ year survivor now having choking issues
Hi, this is my first post here. I had oesopohageal cancer in 2012, and got the 5 year all clear this year. Over the past week I have experinced a few episodes of choking after eating. I feel the food is not getting down my oesophagus and is sitting there and then I am inhaling it. Very scary experiences as really can't…