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Esophageal cancer treatment: Anyone have good experiences to share?

Posted by earnest @earnest, May 28 9:28am

Hello troops. Does anyone have any good news about their treatments? All I've been reading are horror stories. Not very encouraging at all. I'm on my second week of radiation and chemo, and the first chemo didn't go well. Not meaning to add to the horror stories, but it made my stomach ache really bad. They stopped and gave me steroids, I think. Now I'm hearing these stories about leaking chemo causing pain, makes me apprehensive. So if anyone has had a GOOD experience, PLEASE share it!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Esophageal Cancer Support Group.

msaschall | @msaschall | Aug 7 12:00pm

Hi my name is Mark, i'm 65 and was just told on Monday I have Esophageal cancer. I need to go have a EGD & An Pet CT. to find out if it has spread. Little down about the news.
Was hoping to get a little advice on the road ahead.

Thanks

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Don Higgins, Volunteer Mentor | @dsh33782 | Aug 7 1:26pm
In reply to @msaschall "Hi my name is Mark, i'm 65 and was just told on Monday I have Esophageal..." + (show)
@msaschall

Hi my name is Mark, i'm 65 and was just told on Monday I have Esophageal cancer. I need to go have a EGD & An Pet CT. to find out if it has spread. Little down about the news.
Was hoping to get a little advice on the road ahead.

Thanks

Jump to this post

Mark
The good news is that esophageal cancer is curable. I had tumor in lower esophagus and after 3 chemo treatments it shrunk 40%. My latest scan showed the cancer is gone and the lymph nodes are back to normal. I'm happy to answer questions. When do you have the scan?
Don

REPLY
2 replies
gburdette | @gburdette | Aug 8 8:44am
In reply to @dsh33782 "Mark The good news is that esophageal cancer is curable. I had tumor in lower esophagus..." + (show)
@dsh33782

Mark
The good news is that esophageal cancer is curable. I had tumor in lower esophagus and after 3 chemo treatments it shrunk 40%. My latest scan showed the cancer is gone and the lymph nodes are back to normal. I'm happy to answer questions. When do you have the scan?
Don

Jump to this post

Did you have proton radiation Don? What is your treatment plan? My husband was diagnosed with EC June 20 we are starting Proton radiation Tuesday

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1 reply
gdj | @gdj | Aug 8 8:45am

I’m in the same fortunate spot as Don.

Diagnosed with stage 3-4 cancer January of 2023. I spent the rest of that year battling.

I had two months of FLOT chemo, followed by 25 radiation treatments (with 3 more chemo sessions) then Esophagectomy on August 3 , 2023.

No cancer was found in what was removed in surgery. Chemo and radiation worked.

My 12-month scan a couple of weeks ago was clean. No evidence of cancer.

You can do this. It’s challenging, of course, but clearly doable with good results.

I’m happy to talk if you want to.

Gary

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Mentor
Don Higgins, Volunteer Mentor | @dsh33782 | Aug 8 12:00pm
In reply to @gburdette "Did you have proton radiation Don? What is your treatment plan? My husband was diagnosed with..." + (show)
@gburdette

Did you have proton radiation Don? What is your treatment plan? My husband was diagnosed with EC June 20 we are starting Proton radiation Tuesday

Jump to this post

@gburdette
I had total of 28 radiation and chemo treatment at Moffitt Caner Center in Tampa FL. After that cancerous tumor was gone and lymph nodes were back to normal. Now I just have periodic scans. Hope your treatment goes well.
Don

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msaschall | @msaschall | Aug 8 1:14pm
In reply to @dsh33782 "Mark The good news is that esophageal cancer is curable. I had tumor in lower esophagus..." + (show)
@dsh33782

Mark
The good news is that esophageal cancer is curable. I had tumor in lower esophagus and after 3 chemo treatments it shrunk 40%. My latest scan showed the cancer is gone and the lymph nodes are back to normal. I'm happy to answer questions. When do you have the scan?
Don

Jump to this post

Thanks for for the positive on this problem. I've been reading so many horror stories, my scan is in the next few weeks. Thanks again

Mark

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1 reply
earnest | @earnest | Aug 8 1:36pm

Thanks for positive feedback. Bless you!

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Mentor
Don Higgins, Volunteer Mentor | @dsh33782 | Aug 8 2:21pm
In reply to @msaschall "Thanks for for the positive on this problem. I've been reading so many horror stories, my..." + (show)
@msaschall

Thanks for for the positive on this problem. I've been reading so many horror stories, my scan is in the next few weeks. Thanks again

Mark

Jump to this post

Mark
EC is curable so hang in there. Some of the side affects of radiation and chemo are no fun but they pass. Stay in touch.

REPLY
1 reply
jcrs | @jcrs | Aug 8 6:32pm
In reply to @dsh33782 "Mark EC is curable so hang in there. Some of the side affects of radiation and..." + (show)
@dsh33782

Mark
EC is curable so hang in there. Some of the side affects of radiation and chemo are no fun but they pass. Stay in touch.

Jump to this post

Depends what stage the patient is , IV is not curable. My husband was diagnosed last Oct. with stage IV, mets on the bone. He did 8 rounds of Folfox, on 1st Petscan NED started Zeloda. 2nd petscan cancer was back, started 10 rounds radiation, keytruda and Zeloda. We will see on the next petscan.

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1 reply
Mentor
Don Higgins, Volunteer Mentor | @dsh33782 | Aug 8 9:04pm
In reply to @jcrs "Depends what stage the patient is , IV is not curable. My husband was diagnosed last..." + (show)
@jcrs

Depends what stage the patient is , IV is not curable. My husband was diagnosed last Oct. with stage IV, mets on the bone. He did 8 rounds of Folfox, on 1st Petscan NED started Zeloda. 2nd petscan cancer was back, started 10 rounds radiation, keytruda and Zeloda. We will see on the next petscan.

Jump to this post

Sorry to hear about your husband. I hope next scan is more positive.
Don

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