Fit 61 year old man, newly diagnosed with stage III adenocarcinoma

Posted by stevenyc @stevenyc, Nov 3, 2025

I’m not even sure what to ask here. I got my diagnosis two weeks ago, and my staging 5 days ago. I’m otherwise healthy - good heart & lungs, good blood chemistry (except for the low hemoglobin that led to the endoscopy that found the lesion). I’m a few pounds over ideal, but not more.

I’m being treated at the Manhattan VA. They are treating me with “curative intent”, using neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy, then surgery, then more chemo & immunotherapy. They approximated six months of treatment.

And I’m scared.

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goldenshadow | @goldenshadow | Nov 7, 2025

Hi so my surgery was Ivory Lewis this surgery is robotic. I had two surgeons one was a thoracic surgeon and the other one was an oncology surgeon. Oncology surgeon worked from the front making 5 small incisions to unhook my stomach from my esophagus and to collect nodes to biopsy 33 in total. Also checking stomach for any signs of cancer. My thoracic surgeon went in on my right side making 5 bigger incisions. They had to deflate my lung to reach my esophagus. They took 7 inches of my esophagus out. Then used part of my stomach to make a new esophagus. This surgery took 9 hrs. It was rough for the first 2 days having a chest tube out my right side and tubes down my throat and my feeding tube. They got me up and walking as soon as I woke up it wasn’t easy but I knew I had to help myself also. Did breathing exercises often to help my lungs get cleared out. Walked all the time the more I walked the better I felt. So 8 day’s in hospital. 7 days in I had my swallow test moment of truth making sure my new esophagus doesn’t leak. It didn’t leak it was a great day. Also got my chest tube out and tube going down my throat out. Started out drinking broths and juice then worked up to jellos and puddings and food that were soft. Than just kept working my way back to more meat proteins and salads and fruits. Still eat smaller meals just more often. Staying positive throughout helped me so much. Hope this helps wishing the best. Scott

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Nov 16, 2025

@stevenyc, how are you doing? Have you started chemotherapy and immunotherapy now?

stevenyc | @stevenyc | Nov 17, 2025

In reply to @colleenyoung "@stevenyc, how are you doing? Have you started chemotherapy and immunotherapy now?" + (show)

@colleenyoung I was feeling more & more optimistic every day, and (oddly) eager to start chemo. But I got a call from my oncologist this morning that has really shaken me. She said that after discussing the results of last week's EUS with the surgeons, they now want to delay treatment (again) and do a diagnostic laparoscopy. They're looking for cancer cells in the peritoneal fluid, and if they find them, they will upstage me to stage IV, and no longer consider my cancer curable. I'm really struggling with this news, and finding it very difficult to remain focused on "what we *do* know, right now". In fact, I think this is even worse than the time between initial discovery of a lesion and staging.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Nov 21, 2025

In reply to @stevenyc "@colleenyoung I was feeling more & more optimistic every day, and (oddly) eager to start chemo...." + (show)

@stevenyc, I can imagine that that news is unnerving and the news hard to take. The good news is that your team is being very thorough. If there are cancer cells in the peritonial fluid, you want to know about it and deal with it head on. While stage IV is technically no longer curable, you can live well with stage IV.

But like you said, the focus now has to be on what you *do* know. You know you have cancer. You know that you have a proactive oncologist. You know that no matter the results of the laparoscopy, you will deal with it. You know you have people here on Mayo Clinic Connect who have walked the path before you and will journey with you.

When are you scheduled for further testing of the peritoneal fluid?

stevenyc | @stevenyc | Nov 21, 2025

Thank you so much Colleen. Everything you wrote makes sense, and it does give me some comfort.

I had my surgical consult yesterday (Thursday), and the procedure is on the books for this coming Wednesday. So my treatment, whatever it ends up being, will probably start (finally) the week of Dec 1. (We have to wait for pathology results.)

I appreciate you and this community. I know I'll be relying on you all in the coming months.

judykraft | @judykraft | Nov 22, 2025

In reply to @goldenshadow "Hi so my surgery was Ivory Lewis this surgery is robotic. I had two surgeons one..." + (show)

@goldenshadow
thank you for your post. My husband, Rich, age 74, goes in Tuesday for his Ivo Lewis surgery and the build up emotionally is real for me. Your sharing has helped me understand what to expect from someone who has gone through it. Rich is the positive one and I try to be... so hard not to "awfulize" what this week will bring. Your story of getting to the other side of surgery and then eating changes has helped tremendously. Thank you.

bsflint | @bsflint | Nov 22, 2025

In reply to @stevenyc "Thank you so much Colleen. Everything you wrote makes sense, and it does give me some..." + (show)

@stevenyc I had a similar experience. My first visit (prior to CT) we discussed surgery. Post CT I was told “non-curable” and Stage IV as it metastasized to my liver and several Lymph Nodes. That was 4 1/2 years ago. It will be a mental and physical test but keep your faith and fight fight fight. You stated you are physically fit. That will be a tremendous help. I was 47 and in Army so was very physically fit. I believe it allowed my oncologist to “hit me hard” with the chemotherapy. I highly recommend staying active as much as possible. Prayers to you and your healing process.