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What happens during radiation for esophageal cancer?
Esophageal Cancer | Last Active: May 23 5:50pm | Replies (63)Comment receiving replies
I had chemo/radiation in August of 2024. I went to Mayo Clinic because of their expertise, high volume and the proton beam radiation facilities. Medicare had pre-approved proton beam radiation, but then called the day before the start of my treatment and said they would only cover photon beam radiation. Rather than delaying treatment, I started photon beam treatment for four sessions before contracting pericarditis and spending 5 days in the hospital for treatment. By then, our appeals to Medicare for proton treatment were approved. I had 20 plus sessions of proton treatment and very little side effects (some fatigue). My tumor was essentially gone by September, but I went forward with Mayo's recommended treatment protocol and had an esophagectomy on November 1st, 2024. I'm currently cancer free after 16 months since surgery. Moral to the story is photon is older technology and not nearly as precise as proton beam. Best to you and your husband.
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@lionsfan Great info. Can I ask if it was difficult getting accepted as a patient into Mayo Clinic?
My city doesn't have the resources they do, and would be curious to know of your experience.
Did you have to get a hotel room for several weeks during treatment, travel back and forth, or do you live there?
Thank you!
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@lionsfan I'll second all that was said. I was treated at MD Anderson. Because of backup while they constructed a new above-ground facility (the cyclotron underneath stayed), I had one week of photon and 4.5 weeks of proton. There is no comparison in the side-effects. IF anyone can get proton, they should. My app for proton was approved immediately, but they wanted to get me started on radiation because my cancer was at a "turning point." It was into the adventitia, but not through it, and was not into either the regional or remote lymph nodes. IOW, it was at a turning point and they wanted treatment of some kind to start immediately. I'm puzzled at your initial refusal from Medicare. I thought they were approving it for all cases routinely...