Dad needs positive support

I have just completed my post surgical chemo. Prior to surgery I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation. The treatment was brutal but was very effective. The chemo and radiation almost completely eliminated the cancer in my esoph. and in my stomach. The lymph node that was cancerous was clean after surgery. I was in a clinical study at Northwesten Hospital in Chicago. Preliminary results show that getting the chemo and radiation first, followed by surgery and the followed again by chemo have been promising. My doctor's are: Dr. Mary Mulcahy, Hematology/Oncology: Dr. Jeff Wayne, Surgical Oncologist; anf Dr. Robert Small, Radiation. www.nmff.org
My results have been great. The pathologies after surgery were almost totally clean. My post surgery scan was clean. I have gained back 15 pounds since surgery on August 23rd.
Make sure to keep up with the pain during treatment. Tell your dad not to try and tough it out. Now is not the time to say that you can handle the pain. Let the Doctors take care of the pain.
I wish your dad good luck. I'm only 45 and the treatment was tough to take, but it was worth the pain. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your father. You can make it. Some one has to make up the good results in the statistics, it might as well be your dad.

Hello Brennan, my dad too has just learned he has esophageal cancer. My dads cancer is at a Stage 4. He has just started chemothearopy and today is his fourth day. Tell your dad that he will have a prayer said for him down in Mission,Texas. Tell him to keep up the positive attitude and just take the bull by its horns. I wish you and your family that best and I'll pray that your dad will pull out of this. God Bless!

Hi, Brennan~
Just a note to tell your Dad not to pay too much attention to statistics. I am a 12 yr. survivor of esophageal cancer. I was over 60 when it was diagnosed. Had rads, chemo and surgery. It can be beaten! Cheers! and Good Luck!

DADTRACY said:

We just learned last week 8/1 that my father in law has stage 4 esophageal cancer. He started chemo on 8/4 and will continue chemo once a week for the next 4 weeks. At first he seemed to be OK. Now 6 days later after the first treatment he has no appetite, nasua and hot flashes. Does your dad have similar side affects? Ive been looking for positive info for my family. I keep telling them that the side affects are to be expected. That we need to pray and keep the faith! Do you know if there are any survivors of stage 4? I cant seem to find anything.
Thanks Kim

I learned on 6/1/05 that my dad has Stage IV esophageal cancer. He is only 58 years old, and we were/are very devestated. He has been taking chemo since the end of June. He takes Docetaxel and Capecitabine and Avastin on 3 week cycles. He will have four rounds of chemo. We will learn September 16th, after a PET scan if the chemo has worked. This has been such a scary time for our family, and it is difficult to find a "survivor story" for this type of cancer. I can tell you that the chemo that my dad is getting was part of a clinical trial, and one of the recipients is now cancer free. My dad also has side effects from his chemo--loss of appetite, sores in the mouth, and on the feet and hands. One thing that was helpful for my dad was getting a stent placed in his esophagus, so that he would not have to use a feeding tube. All we can do is pray. I will pray for your father in law, as well.

esophageal cancer

I have stage 3 esophageal cancer,I just started chemo an radation today doctors say 6 weeks of this the they want to remove esophagus an bring up my stomach to attach.My qustion is there are  two methods that they use. One method do used two incisions, other method uses three incisions extra one is through The rib cage.  The two incision one seems faster for recovery. What method would anyone out there  recommended that o use. thanks John B.