my husband has completed raditation. now hes loosing his voice…has bad pain and is on methadone?
My mother-inlaw has stage 4 cancer in her throat.
Hi…We just learned 2 days ago that my fiance has esophageal cancer. We are devastated to say the least and trying to find out what is out here to help us understand things and learn about possible new treatments. Thank you for letting me join.
My name is Meredith, I am 29 years old and I lost my father Gil July 12, 2006 to this horrible disease. He would have been 70 three weeks later.
I want to bring awareness to Esophageal because even though the numbers of people faced with this is on the rise, doesn’t seem like it is getting enough coverage in the media.
Not only did I lose my dad to this disease but I lost a cousin to it as well back in the early 90’s.
Sometimes I feel so alone and like I’m the only one dealing with and struggling to heal emotionally from losing my dad.
My mother has develloped a condition in which her food sticks in her throat. We are to see an md but it takes so long. Thqnk you. Esophegous cancer.
My husband, Mike was diagnosed with Stage 1 Esophageal Cancer May 2006. His cancer was most likely caused by Acid Reflux (Barrett’s Esophagus). He was scheduled for surgery to remove his esophagus in June 2006 at the recommendation of his gastroenterologist. This surgery is the standard in the US for esophageal cancer. It comes with a 25% mortally rate and is life altering. The surgery consists of removing the esophagus and part of the stomach. The stomach is then moved up to what is left of the esophagus; therefore, the remaining stomach acts as the esophagus and the stomach.
I was questioning why we had to do something so drastic when Mike’s cancer looked like it was so early. I did research online and found another procedure that is the standard for early esophageal cancer in Japan. Japan detects early esophageal cancer more often than the US, as they do routine upper GI tests. In the US we don’t usually find it early, therefore Mike’s case was unusual.
The new procedure (EMR) Endoscopic Mucosal Resection is much less evasive and does not require surgery. It basically clips off the cancer from the esophagus wall with a tool attached to an endoscope. We found out a few hospitals in the US use this treatment for early esophageal cancer.
Last year John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic were the two top hospitals for this treatment. Now, I hear there are more top hospitals taking this approach.
My husband had the ERM procedure at Johns Hopkins. We live in California. He also had another additional procedure (PDT) Photo Dynamic Therapy to just make sure we got all the cancer. This procedure requires an injection with a chemical “Photofrin”. This chemical is activated by light to become a cancer-fighting agent. For 2 days the Photorin collects in the cancerous areas and dissipates from the other areas of the body. (Except his skin) The doctor then goes down his throat with a laser endoscope and exposed the areas of his esophagus that may sill have cancer or pre-cancerous cells with the laser light. It basically burns off the lining of the esophagus. It was very painful for a few weeks and he was photosensitive for about 3 months. He had to cover up from head to toe, as he could not be exposed to any outside light, direct or indirect. He then gradually could have indirect/direct exposure to sunlight. Indoor lighting was okay. But at night, after the sun down, Mike was a free man.
After the PDT treatments, Mike needed 7-8 dilations. Because of the scare tissue from the PDT, he developed some strictures. This requires the doctors to go down with a balloon and open up the area – over and over again.
Three months after these procedures my husband was tested and was CANCER FREE. And by this time he was feeling good and back to normal. His every 3-month check up since has been the same - CANCER FREE. Next month we are going back to John Hopkins for his year check up. Then he will only have to go every 6 months for check ups. He looks and feels great. He is taking better care of himself and we are grateful we had the options we did.
Our Doctor at Johns Hopkins has done a 10-year study on the combination of the ERM and PDT. Her finding has these treatments at a 93% CURE rate. This includes pre-cancerous and early stage 0-1 EC cancer patients.
I just want to give hope for those that find it early!