Diagnosis Esophageal Cancer

Mtngirl7533

After many tests over the past week, my husband was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer TN3 with lymph node involvement. The doc said the silver lining is that it doesn't appear to have spread to any other organs! I am relieved about that! We are set to go to the Cancer Center this Tues for a long day with all of his Cancer Team, including surgeon. The doc mentioned Chemo to shrink tumor and then surgery. Also radiation but don't know if it will be after or combination yet! He will have a peg tube placed as he can't afford to lose any more weight! He is on a strict liquid diet currently. The doc mentioned Esophagectomy and that it is a major surgery. Thankfully I am adept with most of these terms, procedures but can never learn enough and look forward to Tuesday to meet with team and discuss treatment, ect. My husband's tumor is so large that they aren't able to get the scope past it! It is Adenocarcinoma! Incidently, my husband has never smoked and we only drink once or twice a year, literally! I know sometimes it's associated with that. But also acid reflux. He says he doesn't have reflux, but I told him he could have silent reflux! I on the other hand have severe reflux and just got an increase in Protonix. I will continue to update and educate myself even more regarding this disease and treatment, side effects, ect. I can't thank the people enough who replied publicly or via message! It's been a hell of a week! God bless you all<3

paul61

It can be an "up and down" journey

The good news is that you have a definitive diagnosis and a treatment plan. The next few months will be a journey with lots of decisions; some good days, and some not so good days. But if they say the current scans show no spread to other organs it is a great start. When I was diagnosed in 2009 the standard protocol for staging was endoscopy, CT scan with contrast, and then endoscopic ultrasound. Since your husband’s tumor is quite large it sounds like the endoscopic ultrasound is not in his future in the short term, at least until chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy shrinks the tumor.

Like your husband I was not a smoker and an infrequent drinker; but adenocarcinoma is more related to acid reflux. Squamous cell carcinoma is the variant that is more related to smoking and drinking. Many people have what is called “silent reflux”, where stomach acid migrates into the esophagus, but they do not feel the burning sensation because the cells in the esophagus have already mutated from previous irritation into columnar cells similar to the cells found in the stomach.

I had chemotherapy and an esophagectomy with gastric pull up in 2009. The journey was a challenge but I am still here with the people I love. Hang in there, you will get to the other side. Choose your surgeon carefully, the type of surgery done and the skill of the surgeon and aftercare facility will make a huge difference in your husband’s recovery and long term quality of life.

Best Regards,

Paul Adams

McCormick, South Carolina

 

DX 10/2009 T2N1M0  Stage IIB - Ivor Lewis Surgery  12/3/2009
Post Surgery Chemotherapy 2/2009 – 6/2009 Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
Seven Year Survivor

 

Mtngirl7533

Thank you so much Paul!

I appreciate you sharing your exerience with me! The information is invaluable! We head to the cancer center tomorrow and tahnks to folks like you, I will go in well armed with valid questions! I will try and give updates tomorrow evening when we get back! 

servman86

I am sorry to hear of your

I am sorry to hear of your husbands dnx.  I too was a stage III with lymph node involvment.  I went through a protocol of radiation for 5 weeks prior to esophagectomy that removed 60% of my esophagus and 35% of my stomach.  This was followd by 6 months of chemo (Cisplatin & 5FU). Now the amazing news... I was 36 yrs old when diagnosed, on October 26, 2017 I will turn 56.  Hard for me to believe that nearly 20 years have passed.  My point is simply that each of us while having a common diagnosis each have our own unique experiences and outcomes. I had the Ivers Lewis gastric pull up in 1999, by an excellent surgeon at Case Western University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.  Amazing hospital, amazing staff.  My life today is full and essentially unaltered by my experience.  Certainly, I have results and side effects left over from my treatment, but my quality of life and over all health is good.  God bless you and best of luck with be with. 

Mtngirl7533

Thank you for sharing

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to do so! I appreciate so much, everyone who has responded! I feel blessed in many ways! I will start a new thread an give an update as we made our first visit to the cancer center today and met with many doctors, ect. Be well:)