Choosing between more chemo/radiation or Surgery

mumphy said:

We don't have a choice
Hi,
My husband was also diagnosed in May stage IV, he starts his second round of chemo tomarrow
after the 2nd round we hope that his tumor will have shrunk enough for him to be able to have surgery. Without the surgery they will not be able to remove the tumor and runs the chance of it spreading. My husband is 61 years old was in great health until we were told about the cancer. I don't know the exact situation or stage of your dads cancer.

I would need to know more and I am not and expert but if they can remove the tumor I say take it out. You still may run the risk of it spreading but they can always do more chemo
after the surgery. I would have the DR"S go over all of the pros and cons with me.
Hope I could help a little

Good luck.

Kathy
P.S. Go to Williams site it explains alot!!

Hi Kathy:
Thanks for your
Hi Kathy:

Thanks for your reply. I am aware of Williams site- he is quite a prolific writer, and in fact, after I had read some of his experience, I told my dad and he wants to chat with him. Do you know how I can directly ask him a question or put my father in contact with him?

My fathers stage is II and the docs think he is a good candidate for the surgery. I wasn't aware that chemo can continue after the surgery. Oh- my father has lost 40 pounds already due to his tongue developing a bitter taste that makes all the food taste bad. But, his appetite is getting better.

The doctor my parents met with the doctor at UCSD who developed the da vinci method (minimally invasive surgery)and has done over 1000 of these (all successfully).

Thanks again for your advice.

Deborah

MOE58 said:

SURGERY OR CHEMO
Deborah,

Would we choose surgery again, YOU BET!! I do have Mr. Marshall's phone number if you still want it let me know. I will also personally e-mail him and let him know you would like to talk to him, there is another one site named Chewbacca he is your fathers age and had the surgery, I will tell you surgery isn't easy but if you go in with the right attitude stating you will fight it he will do fine, My husband is only 45 and we had it done, yes I was scared to death before and during surgery it took about 6 1/2 hours for surgery, and his surgery went fine, and still is he had other problems after surgery from the chemo and attacked his lungs, so we had a little bit harder time, we have today gotten in a private room and doing much better, he was in ICU for 14 days, please go to my post and read some of the things i have posted. Please know I am a caregiver too and would be glad to help in any way.

Thanks
Lori aka MOE

Hi Lori:
Well, I jumped the
Hi Lori:

Well, I jumped the gun a bit, and apparently both my mother and father spoke to Bill (Marshall) and his wife yesterday. That helped alleviate a lot of my Dad's concerns, although he still would love to speak to someone who chose the alternative method- but he hasn't found anyone that has foregone surgery yet. Some people do not have a choice to have the surgery or not, and since he does, he would like to get an opinion from someone who has survived cancer but saved their esophagus.

I will read your posts- I'm glad your husband is doing better. He is quite young to have to go through this, but that fact may be in his favor (youth!). I think for my dad, surgery is quite scary, and the inconvienience of sleeping for the remainder of his life at a 45 degree angle is a lot to take in. If only he had a crystal ball to tell him what is the best approach.

Take care of yourself- it is tough being the one to worry about a loved one all the time.

Best,

Deborah