Newbie

cobolca

Hi. I've been reading the posts and I can't tell you how much they have helped me. I was diagnosed in November with stage 2B or 3A Esophageal Cancer, just as I was beginning to recuperate from Cerivical Cancer surgery in June. The tumor was 8 cm, and it had become almost impossible to eat or drink anything. In January I had surgery to put in a port and feeding tube. I ended up with a week in ICU and 3 weeks in the hospital because the feeding tube was a leaker. They had to operate once to put in the feeding tube and then a second time to put in a new one, then because of infection, they had to pull out the outer staples from the incision and let it heal from the inside out. My immune system was so down that it took 3 months for the infection to heal.

I then had radiation for 38 days and chemo for 5 twenty four hour days with a 2 week rest in between, for 6 treatments. After a week on radiation, to everyones surprise, I started to eat and drink again without pain. I had lost 50 pounds from the cervical cancer so it was a real blessing and I have put on 20 pounds, which I hope will get me through this next surgery.

Surgery will be Aug 11th. This is doctors vacation time, so I'm having a lapse in the time of completion of treatment and surgery. 3 months to be exact. I'm now having pain again upon eating and drinking. Has anyone else had this problem?

It's so nice to not be alone and thank you all that post here

Unknown

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cobolca

unknown said:

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

Newbie
The surgery is to remove the esophagus. Oh my, how little I know! I don't know what a MIE is, and I'm not sure about EC surgery either.

I was wandering if it wasn't the radiation that had caused the problem. It has been about 2 months since I finished radiation, and I haven't had any problems until this last week.

The chemo pack has been hooked up at the doctors office and the surgery will be in Springfield, Illinois.

Regarding the surgery, the doctor said they may open me up and just have to close me again. He said depending on what they find, they would make one cut in the stomach area and the other in the neck. If they couldn't stretch the stomach up enough then they would have to do what they prefer not to which is make the second cut on the right side.

I have forgotten which chemo I was on, but I really didn't have much problems with it. I didn't even lose my hair.

When I have the surgery on Aug 11th, it will be 3 months since my last chemo and more since the last radiation.

MOE58

cobolca said:

Newbie
The surgery is to remove the esophagus. Oh my, how little I know! I don't know what a MIE is, and I'm not sure about EC surgery either.

I was wandering if it wasn't the radiation that had caused the problem. It has been about 2 months since I finished radiation, and I haven't had any problems until this last week.

The chemo pack has been hooked up at the doctors office and the surgery will be in Springfield, Illinois.

Regarding the surgery, the doctor said they may open me up and just have to close me again. He said depending on what they find, they would make one cut in the stomach area and the other in the neck. If they couldn't stretch the stomach up enough then they would have to do what they prefer not to which is make the second cut on the right side.

I have forgotten which chemo I was on, but I really didn't have much problems with it. I didn't even lose my hair.

When I have the surgery on Aug 11th, it will be 3 months since my last chemo and more since the last radiation.

IVOR LEWIS SURGERY
Welcome to our board but sorry you had to come here, I don't post much now, but always sign on and read, It sounds like you are going to have the IVOR LEWIS surgery since you said they were going to open you up, what that is, is they cut you from your belly button up, take your cancer part of your esophogus and make you a new one along with your stomach they build it from your stomach, they will also cut you from your rib cage to middle part of your back, you will have what they call a NG tube coming from your nose to take all the stuff out of your stomach, you will have a drain tube in the back part of your back to drain from the surgery, and you will have a j tube so they can feed you through their. You will be in ICU for about 3 days to make sure you are doing okay, once you go for the swallowing test to make sure nothing is leaking on surgery they did then you will be able to resume light food. I know this sounds scary but its not, I was a caregiver for the person that had it, now he was in alot longer due to complications with his lungs, but surgery wise he did great, now the surgery does take about 5 hours or more, if this is the kind your having. I signed up on this site back last may you are welcome to go that far back if you do it will be listed under "MOE AND PAPA" NOT JUST MOE58, I too didn't know what to expect but it does take awhile to recoup, but if you do what the doc says you will do fine.

if I can help further please don't hesitate to ask I know all about it been there done that.

You just began your journey and stay positive you can do this.

Good Luck
Lori/MOE58

paul61

I would get a second surgical opinion
Hello,

Welcome to our group. It sounds like you have met with a surgeon but they may have not discussed all the potential options for surgery.

I would encourage you to get a second opinion.

The surgery they are describing is an Ivor Lewis procedure. There are other less invasive surgical options available, if you can travel a bit, and your insurance is flexible.

They do minimally invasive surgery at University of Pittsburg Medical Center and other major cancer centers with experience with esophageal cancer.

Below is some contact information for Dr. Luketich, who practices there, and provides that form of surgical option. Even if you can’t travel for a second opinion they may be able top suggest a surgeon closer to you that can provide minimally invasive surgery.

________________________________________
James D. Luketich, M.D., Program Director
200 Lothrop Street
Suite C-800
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States
1 412 647-7555 Appointment
1 412 647-3007 (Fax)
luketichjd@upmc.edu
www.thoracicsurgery.medicine.pitt.edu
_____________________________________________________

It is very important that your surgery be done at a recognized cancer center that does many esophagectomies every year. They have the knowledge, skill, and resources to insure your recovery is rapid and uneventful.

I know what it is like to have a surgical incision infected and reopened. I; like you, had a long healing period because I got an infection in my incisions in the hospital after an Ivor Lewis procedure. It took six months for the large incision in my back to heal. All the more reason to investigate a minimally invasive esophagectomy.

I hope you feel better soon and this rest prepares you for whatever surgical option you choose but, having had an Ivor Lewis procedure if I had it to do over again I would travel for an MIE.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams
McCormick, South Carolina

DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0
12/03/2010 Ivor Lewis
2/8 – 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
6/21/2010 CT Scan NED

unclaw2002

Hi,
Can you give us some
Hi,

Can you give us some more information about where you are receiving treatment right now and your age? others on this board can perhaps provide some other information. But right now before I had surgery I would certianly get a second opinion at a cancer center specializing in Esophageal Cancer.

I would also check out the minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE)and see if that is a possibility given your medical history and the nature of your EC.

Here is an article from June of 2009 with a study of the MIE for EC titled "Minimally Invasive Surgery For Esophageal Cancer Reduces Mortality Rates, Length Of Hospital Stays"
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152191.php (cut and paste this address into your browser it will not link from here).

Keep coming back and ask questions --- we are all here to help and believe an informed patient is essential in taking on this monster we call Esophageal Cancer.

Best,
Cindy

Best,
Cindy

Islandbayfarm

paul61 said:

I would get a second surgical opinion
Hello,

Welcome to our group. It sounds like you have met with a surgeon but they may have not discussed all the potential options for surgery.

I would encourage you to get a second opinion.

The surgery they are describing is an Ivor Lewis procedure. There are other less invasive surgical options available, if you can travel a bit, and your insurance is flexible.

They do minimally invasive surgery at University of Pittsburg Medical Center and other major cancer centers with experience with esophageal cancer.

Below is some contact information for Dr. Luketich, who practices there, and provides that form of surgical option. Even if you can’t travel for a second opinion they may be able top suggest a surgeon closer to you that can provide minimally invasive surgery.

________________________________________
James D. Luketich, M.D., Program Director
200 Lothrop Street
Suite C-800
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
United States
1 412 647-7555 Appointment
1 412 647-3007 (Fax)
luketichjd@upmc.edu
www.thoracicsurgery.medicine.pitt.edu
_____________________________________________________

It is very important that your surgery be done at a recognized cancer center that does many esophagectomies every year. They have the knowledge, skill, and resources to insure your recovery is rapid and uneventful.

I know what it is like to have a surgical incision infected and reopened. I; like you, had a long healing period because I got an infection in my incisions in the hospital after an Ivor Lewis procedure. It took six months for the large incision in my back to heal. All the more reason to investigate a minimally invasive esophagectomy.

I hope you feel better soon and this rest prepares you for whatever surgical option you choose but, having had an Ivor Lewis procedure if I had it to do over again I would travel for an MIE.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams
McCormick, South Carolina

DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0
12/03/2010 Ivor Lewis
2/8 – 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
6/21/2010 CT Scan NED

second opinion
Paul is correct. With all of your issues you need to be looked over at Mayo, Chicago or
UW Madison. You didn't say your age but you are doing great! & this surgery is BIG. Find out how many of these surgeries your dr has done.
My husband had a laparoscopy, three small incisions, minimally invasive esophagetomy Aug 20th 2009 at UW Madison with head of Thoracic surgery, Tracey Weigel 800-323-8942. She trained at Sloan Kettering, NY & her life is her work, perfect surgery. My husband was T3 N1 and is cancer free since.
Get a note book & write down every drug they put in your body. They gave you stacks of
papers. Take charge of your health.

Keep up the fight!
Kathy


Anyone else know of a dr in St Louis or Chicago for her????

Unknown

cobolca said:

Newbie
The surgery is to remove the esophagus. Oh my, how little I know! I don't know what a MIE is, and I'm not sure about EC surgery either.

I was wandering if it wasn't the radiation that had caused the problem. It has been about 2 months since I finished radiation, and I haven't had any problems until this last week.

The chemo pack has been hooked up at the doctors office and the surgery will be in Springfield, Illinois.

Regarding the surgery, the doctor said they may open me up and just have to close me again. He said depending on what they find, they would make one cut in the stomach area and the other in the neck. If they couldn't stretch the stomach up enough then they would have to do what they prefer not to which is make the second cut on the right side.

I have forgotten which chemo I was on, but I really didn't have much problems with it. I didn't even lose my hair.

When I have the surgery on Aug 11th, it will be 3 months since my last chemo and more since the last radiation.

This comment has been removed by the Moderator

cobolca

unclaw2002 said:

Hi,
Can you give us some
Hi,

Can you give us some more information about where you are receiving treatment right now and your age? others on this board can perhaps provide some other information. But right now before I had surgery I would certianly get a second opinion at a cancer center specializing in Esophageal Cancer.

I would also check out the minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE)and see if that is a possibility given your medical history and the nature of your EC.

Here is an article from June of 2009 with a study of the MIE for EC titled "Minimally Invasive Surgery For Esophageal Cancer Reduces Mortality Rates, Length Of Hospital Stays"
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/152191.php (cut and paste this address into your browser it will not link from here).

Keep coming back and ask questions --- we are all here to help and believe an informed patient is essential in taking on this monster we call Esophageal Cancer.

Best,
Cindy

Best,
Cindy

Newbie
Thank you everyone for the advise. I'm amazed at t he knowledge.

First, I will be 73 in 3 months. I've always been very active and healthy, so I think that helps my situation.

Here is a small synopsis on my surgeon.

Professor and Chair, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Director, SIU Lung Center

Areas of Expertise:

Cardiac surgery
Thoracic surgery
Video-assisted thoracic surgery
Minimally invasive cardiothoracic procedures
Esophageal cancer
Lung cancer

He practices all aspects of cardiothoracic surgery (heart, lung and esophageal) and has a special interest in thoracoscopic surgery. Board certified in cardiothoracic surgery, he has published over 100 articles and book chapters and is internationally recognized for his contributions in thoracoscopic surgery. He is the co-editor of the textbook Minimal Access Cardiothoracic Surgery, used by cardiac surgeons worldwide.