How long have you survived??

3 years 4 months!
Hi all!

I was diagnosed in July 2007 with squamous cell EC at the age of 38. The initial treatment plan included chemo, radiation and surgery. After an endoscopy/bronchoscopy to take a good look and put in a g-tube (unable to eat at diagnosis), the determination was made for no surgery, since the tumor had also invaded half of my trachea. Another trip to the OR for a surgical implant of the g-tube (esophagus blocked) and a tracheostomy (breathing compromised, with worsening expected during treatment) and a treatment change. Second plan: 4 rounds Cisplatin, 5-FU with concurrent 35 IMRT radiation. Treatment changed: 2 rounds Cisplatin (hearing loss, ringing and violently ill), 4 rounds 5-FU, 39 radiation treatments. I just had my recent 6 month CT and all is good! Treatment was very difficult, but life is soo good! Best of luck to everyone!

dragonflymom said:

My mom was diagnosed two
My mom was diagnosed two days before Thanksgiving 2009. She was stage 4a. After chemo, radiation and telescoping stents in her trachea and esophagus she is doing well. Not great, but well. She has little evidence of disease. Maybe some in her esophagus but they can't tell for sure. She just had a CT scan last week and it looked great.

Her day-to-day struggles include not being able to eat and coughing. Coughing is her biggest problem. She coughs a lot. She feeds herself through a tube.

However, she is here and her doctors are all very happy with her progress. Truth be told, they didn't think she was going to make it to summer. Her stents caused her many problems in the beginning.

I wish everyone here many blessed days with their families and loved ones!

Best Cancer Center, #s letters, etc.?
1) to dragonflymom -- my husband (at 49) was diagnosed with EC THREE days before Thanksgiving, 2009! We must have been facing the same struggles in different locations. Hubby could not eat any carbs for Thanksgiving dinner, as he was having his PET next morning. We spent Christmas in hospital... how about your Mom?

2)Unfortunately, my hubby was just diagnosed with a recurrence, and I am presently researching where we should go (we live in a small town that doesn't see that many EC cases, and we need to tap into the big guns). Anyone have recommendations?? His is squamous cell, at the upper collar (so we were told he was not a candidate for surgery), was found in one lymph node, which was removed intact.

3) I am also writing to ask -- what do all the letters/#s I see mean (gonna ask local onc on Wed!) -- I understand staging; hubby was III -- don't remember if a or b, and don't know what that means, anyhow. But what do all the others indicate that I see after names: i.e. - T3N1MO? I feel like I am learning a new language.

Thanks!