Tumor did not shrink!

Hi,

My BIL finished his 28 rounds of radiation and chemo. Since all of this started in June he has lost 17 lbs. He is 6'2" and was already under weight before treatment began.

He has not been able to eat anything solid, food wise. He takes boost, ensure and protein with whey made into milkshake with ice cream (yogurt).

He had a stink put in before radiation began, his doctors convinced them that the tumor would enlarge and not allow food or saliva to pass. He was able to eat for a short while, but the reflux got too bad and he said he felt full after only a couple of bites. Now he cannot get any solid food down.

Had an x-ray done last week and was told he had a blockage at the end of the stint and this is why he could not get any food down it would only let the liquid trickle down. He went in the hospital on Tuesday so they could put the scope down and see what the blockage was. They put another stink INSIDE the stink he already has. The doctor told him the Tumor did not shrink and that they will not do any more radiation! He is having a lot of reflux and pain and not getting much in the way of nourishment. When my sister asked about the J-tube at the beginning the doctors did not want to use this they prefer the G-tube, BUT they did not want to put one in!

We are all devastated and do not understand why the tumor did not shrink. He is scheduled to start on the next round of chemo treatment on 9/15 with stronger dose of chemo this time (sorry I do not know the type). His red hemoglobin is very low (they are giving him shots weekly to try to raise this) His white blood cells are very low and they gave him 3 shots to make new white blood cells. Today he went in for his shot for hemoglobin and both are still very low. They told him the white cells should come back up due to him not having chemo this week.

My sister is wanting to get copies of his latest reports and try to see if she can FIND a Esophageal Cancer Specialist Doctor that will look over them and give his opinion of what treatment they should be getting. Of course the insurance they have Medicare ADVANTAGE HMO (stinks) and is not easy to deal with but they need to do something!

Can anyone help with the name of a Doctor in Tampa, Orlando somewhere that he might be able to travel to if he has to. Right now he is not in any shape to travel far.

But if one of the Doctors will talk with them and review my BIL reports and give his opinion maybe this will give my BIL and sister the hope they need to keep fighting.

I hope this is making sense and someone can help them please. I feel so useless just wish I could give them some hope.

I know from what I have been reading on the boards about the need for a Good Doctor that knows how to deal with Esophageal Cancer. But it is so hard to find one locally and one that is in their insurance plan. But at this point they need to try to get one that can review the reports and see if they can come up with a plan to shrink the tumor and get him in remission god willing.

Thank you for your help as always.
Shay