CANDIDATE FOR SURGERY?.

VIC123
VIC123 Member Posts: 13
in Esophageal Cancer #1
Hello everyone:
I appreciate having found this site very much. My husband was dx with EC Stage III, in the month of December. He has undergone chemo (3 drugs, 5FU, Cisplatin, and Taxol), and 25 sessions of radiation. He did well considering he began treatment with anemia caused by the bleeding of the tumor. He did not need the shots to elevate white blood cells, and his hemoglobin went up as the treatment took its course. We are now finished, his tumor markings came back within normal.Today we went to see the surgeon, and this was so dissapointing. He said he needed to pet scan him before surgery, which we understand, but he mentioned that if lesions developed while in chemo and radiation, he would not be able to perform surgery because why do an esophagectomy if other organs were involved?. I mean, his liver, pancreas, spleen, lungs, bones, all were clear in the first pet. His cancer was confined to the lower third part of the esophagus and three lymph nodes were found enlarged. This is the first time I see my husband down and sad. He has always been positive he is going to overcome it all. Today he is so down. Does anyone here have any ideas, suggestions, similar stories?. We will do the pet scan regardless of course. Also, the surgeon mentioned he wanted to scope him to make sure they can pull up the stomach, otherwise they will have to open him up if able to proceed?. What are your suggestions???. IAM DESPERATE!!!. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL. VICKY

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #3
    Hello Vicky, I agree with
    Hello Vicky, I agree with William about the second opinion. Your husbands diagnois sounds very much like mine, except the doctor didn't do radiation. I did have the ivor lewis surgery after chemo. I hope your husband is a candiate for the mie.Even though my surgery was a success, I've heard so many good things about the less invasive,with a lot shorter recovery. I had my chemo and then surgery in May 2008, and my scans show I'm still disease free. I don't understand the negativeness of the surgeon. It sounds like everything is on track to me.
    Good luck, Sandra
  • VIC123
    VIC123 Member Posts: 13
    #4
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    THANK YOU AND REGARDING DR. LUKETICH
    Dear Mr. Marshall, I was referred to this site by another survivor from Miami who you helped a lot. His name is Fernando. He sends you his regards. My husband finished chemo and radiation last week. All through the process our next step was surgery. Like you he handled such an agressive treatment very well, he came to work daily after radiation and he had some minor side effects. I just could not believe and left the surgeon's office in despair yesterday. How can he say he may not even be a candidate because other lesions may have occurred during chemo?. What way is that?. We have excellent insurance and we can pay whatever the out of pocket amount is, Thanks be to God. I have left 3 messages to Joanie at Dr. Luketich's office. I will proceed now to send all medical records by fax even before they have attended me. How feasible do you see that they can see us ASAP? and also if he can have surgery within the next month?. In your experience, what do you think?. Also, do you have any ways that we can expedite this process?. I really appreciate all you do for so many, and I wish you all the Blessings on this earth for you and your loving wife Loretta. I appreciate it from our hearts.
    Best Regards, Vicky from Miami, FL.
  • VIC123
    VIC123 Member Posts: 13
    #5
    sandy1943 said:

    Hello Vicky, I agree with
    Hello Vicky, I agree with William about the second opinion. Your husbands diagnois sounds very much like mine, except the doctor didn't do radiation. I did have the ivor lewis surgery after chemo. I hope your husband is a candiate for the mie.Even though my surgery was a success, I've heard so many good things about the less invasive,with a lot shorter recovery. I had my chemo and then surgery in May 2008, and my scans show I'm still disease free. I don't understand the negativeness of the surgeon. It sounds like everything is on track to me.
    Good luck, Sandra

    Thank you Sandra!
    I appreciate your time and response very much. Did you have lymph nodes involved?. We thought so, that everything was on track and went to his office to get a surgery date. I understand that he needs a pet and a scope, but just incinuating that after chemo other lesions can appear and he may not be a candidate is just not right. It could all have been said in another way. Sandra, did your chemo resolve the lymph nodes issues if you had any?. Were they removed at the time of surgery?. Where did you have surgery at?. Iam looking into Pittsburgh. Iam so glad you are well and it has been almost 3 years. God Bless you Sandra. Thanks for being there for so many in need like ourselves. God Bless always, Vicky!
  • Bobs1wife
    Bobs1wife Member Posts: 150
    #6
    Vicky
    Hi Vicky, I think you sound just like I did a few short months ago! My husband was actually scheduled for surgery, but he was still required to have that one last scan shortly before. My reaction was very similar to yours and it's another case of scanxiety.

    My husband, Bob, was originally staged at T3N1MO, after chemo/radiation he was staged at T2N1M0. He had only one lymph node that we knew was affected, and that one was completly gone by surgery. 27 lymph nodes were removed and looked fine visually, but with pathology later there was 1 lynph node with scattered cells that we didn't even know about before. He has just completed follow up chemo with Zelox regimen. Surgery, robotic assisted MIE, was Aug 16, 2010 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He was released from the hospital on Aug 20, 2010.

    Our original surgeon, we changed part way through, did a scope to look around the abdomen when he put the feeding tube in, just to be sure everything looked good. I honestly didn't even know that was being done, but after the fact, I felt relief in knowing one more thing was showing the surgery would go on. I haven't really heard anyone else mention a stomach washing, which he also had. They filled the stomach with water, moved it around, drained it and checked for any cancer cells in the water they extracted. That I didn't know about either, but it was clear, so that was good. They just want to be sure they can use the stomach and not have any surprises if they don't have to.

    What you have been through sounds very similar to what we did. I don't believe lymph nodes would be a reason not to have surgery and think most people with EC usually do have lymph nodes involved.

    Wishing you the best, Linda
  • VIC123
    VIC123 Member Posts: 13
    #7
    Bobs1wife said:

    Vicky
    Hi Vicky, I think you sound just like I did a few short months ago! My husband was actually scheduled for surgery, but he was still required to have that one last scan shortly before. My reaction was very similar to yours and it's another case of scanxiety.

    My husband, Bob, was originally staged at T3N1MO, after chemo/radiation he was staged at T2N1M0. He had only one lymph node that we knew was affected, and that one was completly gone by surgery. 27 lymph nodes were removed and looked fine visually, but with pathology later there was 1 lynph node with scattered cells that we didn't even know about before. He has just completed follow up chemo with Zelox regimen. Surgery, robotic assisted MIE, was Aug 16, 2010 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He was released from the hospital on Aug 20, 2010.

    Our original surgeon, we changed part way through, did a scope to look around the abdomen when he put the feeding tube in, just to be sure everything looked good. I honestly didn't even know that was being done, but after the fact, I felt relief in knowing one more thing was showing the surgery would go on. I haven't really heard anyone else mention a stomach washing, which he also had. They filled the stomach with water, moved it around, drained it and checked for any cancer cells in the water they extracted. That I didn't know about either, but it was clear, so that was good. They just want to be sure they can use the stomach and not have any surprises if they don't have to.

    What you have been through sounds very similar to what we did. I don't believe lymph nodes would be a reason not to have surgery and think most people with EC usually do have lymph nodes involved.

    Wishing you the best, Linda

    THANK YOU!
    Dear Linda:

    Thanks for your time to respond. Iam more at ease knowing that its ok to have a second opinion and change the plan of action, change a surgeon, and even travel to another state. This is a complicated surgery and I want to make sure it all goes well. Also it is a blessing as complicated as may be to be able to have it, because it can mean long years of life. Mr. Marshalls is a true and vivid example of it. The three lymph nodes involved are regional lymph nodes, all in the area of the esophagus as the report indicates. No distant metastasis. I believe a thoracic surgeon can do an esophagectomy, and also an MIE if early stages of cancer, but it takes a specialized surgeon to work on a case like ours. Hows your husband doing?. May God Bless you Linda. I appreciate your time at this point very much. This is the best site one can find during these times.

    Vicky
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #8
    VIC123 said:

    THANK YOU!
    Dear Linda:

    Thanks for your time to respond. Iam more at ease knowing that its ok to have a second opinion and change the plan of action, change a surgeon, and even travel to another state. This is a complicated surgery and I want to make sure it all goes well. Also it is a blessing as complicated as may be to be able to have it, because it can mean long years of life. Mr. Marshalls is a true and vivid example of it. The three lymph nodes involved are regional lymph nodes, all in the area of the esophagus as the report indicates. No distant metastasis. I believe a thoracic surgeon can do an esophagectomy, and also an MIE if early stages of cancer, but it takes a specialized surgeon to work on a case like ours. Hows your husband doing?. May God Bless you Linda. I appreciate your time at this point very much. This is the best site one can find during these times.

    Vicky

    Welcome
    Hello Vicky and welcome you and your husband to our ec discussion board family! I totally agree with William and all the others who suggested a second opinion. By now I am hoping you have heard back from Dr. Luketich's office. I have heard that most times he himself will return the call. I have heard nothing but excellent things about him and the UPMC. I am glad you are able to travel to get this second opinion. MIE is the best. We are always here for you and will be thinking and praying for you both!
    Keep in touch.
    Tina in Va
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #9
    Tina Blondek said:

    Welcome
    Hello Vicky and welcome you and your husband to our ec discussion board family! I totally agree with William and all the others who suggested a second opinion. By now I am hoping you have heard back from Dr. Luketich's office. I have heard that most times he himself will return the call. I have heard nothing but excellent things about him and the UPMC. I am glad you are able to travel to get this second opinion. MIE is the best. We are always here for you and will be thinking and praying for you both!
    Keep in touch.
    Tina in Va

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • linda1120
    linda1120 Member Posts: 389
    #10
    Information
    Hi Vicky,

    I hear myself in your post just a few months ago. My husband was diagnosed with ec stage III with lymph node involvement. He had 5fu and Cisplatin and 27 sessions of radiation. My husband is 68 and has heart issues and he had a really tough time by the end of chemo and radiation and had to be hospitalized. Due to William and Loretta's encouragement, I took my husband out of state to a university hospital that specialized in ec, doing the MIE surgical procedure. It was difficult traveling out of state three times and over the holidays, but it was the best decision we made. My husband had to have a Petscan prior to the surgery (normal procedure) and the tumor had shrunk to nothing, and all of the lymph nodes had shrunk a minimum of 70%. He had the MIE, had some complications (due to his heart issues), but pulled through and is recovering CANCER FREE! He got pnuemonia and we are dealing with that, but God is Awesome and he is getting well, keeping his weight stabilized with the feeding tube, and is slowly getting his strength back.

    I went into detail to tell you so you can relax and know that getting a second opinion is the best thing you can do. I don't understand the surgeon's attitude, but he is right, if there is spread to organs there isn't a need for surgery, and it is normal procedure to get a petscan about 3 weeks after the chemo ends. I remember being so afraid and worried and wanting it all done right now! This site helped me more than anything else. The people are all wonderful, loving, caring, and also pray for you and your family. They KNOW what you are going through.

    If I can help you in any way, please know I would be happy to do so. If you need to talk to someone you can send me a private e-mail through the CSN homepage and I will call you or send you my phone number.

    Linda

    Linda
  • VIC123
    VIC123 Member Posts: 13
    #11
    linda1120 said:

    Information
    Hi Vicky,

    I hear myself in your post just a few months ago. My husband was diagnosed with ec stage III with lymph node involvement. He had 5fu and Cisplatin and 27 sessions of radiation. My husband is 68 and has heart issues and he had a really tough time by the end of chemo and radiation and had to be hospitalized. Due to William and Loretta's encouragement, I took my husband out of state to a university hospital that specialized in ec, doing the MIE surgical procedure. It was difficult traveling out of state three times and over the holidays, but it was the best decision we made. My husband had to have a Petscan prior to the surgery (normal procedure) and the tumor had shrunk to nothing, and all of the lymph nodes had shrunk a minimum of 70%. He had the MIE, had some complications (due to his heart issues), but pulled through and is recovering CANCER FREE! He got pnuemonia and we are dealing with that, but God is Awesome and he is getting well, keeping his weight stabilized with the feeding tube, and is slowly getting his strength back.

    I went into detail to tell you so you can relax and know that getting a second opinion is the best thing you can do. I don't understand the surgeon's attitude, but he is right, if there is spread to organs there isn't a need for surgery, and it is normal procedure to get a petscan about 3 weeks after the chemo ends. I remember being so afraid and worried and wanting it all done right now! This site helped me more than anything else. The people are all wonderful, loving, caring, and also pray for you and your family. They KNOW what you are going through.

    If I can help you in any way, please know I would be happy to do so. If you need to talk to someone you can send me a private e-mail through the CSN homepage and I will call you or send you my phone number.

    Linda

    Linda

    THANKS LINDA SO MUCH.
    I appreciate your message very much. Loretta is right, I heard back from Dr. Luketich's office. They reviewed all my records, set up a tentative surgery date of March 16th. We would have to arrive on the 14th for testings. We will be doing the stress test here, the pulmonary function test here also, and an Endoscopy Ultrasound as well. His office called me today and gave me a doctor here who is qualified for the Endoscopy Ultrasound. I have already requested an appointment for that as well. Will also do a pet scan here on March 1. Praying very much that the results are very favorable and the prognosis is good. Loretta and William called a P.A. at the office of Dr. Luketich and expedited everything for us. For that, we will always be very grateful. I promise to continue to be faithful to this site and this phenomenal family. May God Bless you all and we appreciate your prayers very much. We pray for everyone here and give thanks for angels like all of you who share your experiences with us. God Bless!, V&G

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