stent

hopejade
hopejade Member Posts: 2
in Esophageal Cancer #1

hi everyone my husband has been diagnosed with stage 3 asophegus cancer with mets to his shoulder blade. he is currently on eox chemotherapy but has had to stop the chemo due to severe diarea . for the last 3 days he has had a real problem swollowing and is now having trouble drinking. going to hospital to see about stent tomorrow but have heard so many bad things about it, can someone please give me some advice.thank-you

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #2
    Stents have many issues

    While some cancer survivors have had success with stents, most of the feedback about this medical option is overwhelmingly negative. Issues include, coughing, pain, nausea, the stent moving as the tumor shrinks, and the tumor growing around the stent and causing bleeding. Before you accept a stent as a last resort to provide nutrition and hydration I would talk to your oncologist about placement of a jejunostomy tube or “j-tube”. This can provide an option for nutrition and hydration as well.  A “j-tube” in placed into abdomen and connects into the small intestine.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams

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

     

  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #3
    welcome

    Hello and welcome to you and your husband. My dad had EC stage 4 in 2008. His went to his liver in 2009. He had one stent put in

    his esophagus, and one put in the bile duct of his liver. The one in the esophagus did ok, the one in the bile duct of the liver, not

    so good. Our experience with the stents is not too good. I agree with Paul, use a stent as a last resort, look into the j tube for

    hydration and nutrition. Best of luck to the both of you. We are here for you always.

    Tina in Va

  • hopejade
    hopejade Member Posts: 2
    #4
    Tina Blondek said:

    welcome

    Hello and welcome to you and your husband. My dad had EC stage 4 in 2008. His went to his liver in 2009. He had one stent put in

    his esophagus, and one put in the bile duct of his liver. The one in the esophagus did ok, the one in the bile duct of the liver, not

    so good. Our experience with the stents is not too good. I agree with Paul, use a stent as a last resort, look into the j tube for

    hydration and nutrition. Best of luck to the both of you. We are here for you always.

    Tina in Va

    thanks

    thanks for your comments but already tried having a j tube fitted but it went wrong and the surgeon tore his bowel and he ended up in intensive care for 5 days. its only been the last 4 days he is experiencing burning when he eats or drinks. and the tumor is at the bottom of the esophagus and he says it feels like food is getting stuck further up. and is getting a lot of acid reflux. its so scary. we have 5 children the youngest being 2 and 7 . 

  • luv2dance
    luv2dance Member Posts: 7
    #5
    hopejade said:

    thanks

    thanks for your comments but already tried having a j tube fitted but it went wrong and the surgeon tore his bowel and he ended up in intensive care for 5 days. its only been the last 4 days he is experiencing burning when he eats or drinks. and the tumor is at the bottom of the esophagus and he says it feels like food is getting stuck further up. and is getting a lot of acid reflux. its so scary. we have 5 children the youngest being 2 and 7 . 

    Please ask the doctor to give

    Please ask the doctor to give him TPN if there is no other way to get the hydration and nutrician that he needs. The TPN is delieved into he blood stream, rather than the stomach with a g-tube, or intestines with a jtube.Medicines that otherwise have to swallowed,  can be given that way too. Please google TPN, if the feeding method is new to you. Best regards.

     

  • Heeran
    Heeran Member Posts: 171
    #6
    my mom hated stent

    My mom as a final resort had the stent put in and I've never seen someone so miserable in my life.  It made you gag almost around the clock.  Plus acid/food/drinks just came up b/c it keeps it fully open.  Plus it made her cough like crazy.  I like the idea about the TPN.  I found out later that they can give you the TPN through the port.  My mom ended up declining my request to get the TPN because she stated it would only prolong the inevitable.  Medicare doesn't cover the cost of the TPN and I found out through the nutritionalist that it costs about $1000 a day out of pocket.  I told her I would pay it and she declined.  Good luck, what a tough decision.  

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