Excessive Mucus with Esophageal Cancer

Your surgery is still quite fresh. Congratulations on moving into solid foods already. What is your most recent new food that I've added to your repertoire?

Fish, potato and a vegetable tonight!

Congrats. That sounds like real progress.

My husband was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer in January. It’s a 3cm tumor very near the junction of the stomach. He’s 5 weeks into his 6 weeks of chemo/radiation treatment. Just this last week he’s had a HUGE amount of mucus production. Due to his discomfort and dehydration (was hospitalized for 2 days last week) he’s on a clear diet. Is this mucus normal during treatment? It’s driving him crazy!

Welcome, @socalkelly. I’m sorry to hear how much discomfort your husband is experiencing, so much so that he needed to be hospitalized. This must be hard for you too.

I’m tagging fellow esophageal cancer members like @russparsons @mindyt @lori57216 @ricem3627 so they can share their tips and experiences.

Kelly, is the clear diet helping? Is he able to drink plenty of water?

He’s getting better with liquids but not enough to sustain him. He’s only getting about 50-60 calories in each day.. He’s pushing through. Only 5 more days of radiation!

Hello Kelly, I am so sorry that your husband is going thru this. I am now 2 years out. The mucus gets bad I remember non stop coughing and using 2 large tissue boxes a day. I now clean and suction a couple of times a day but I live more normal as I was before. But keeping him taking in calories is important and keeping him hydrated. I pushed while I had pain medication to swallow - get a home nurse if you can to stop in and check on him daily- keep checking his oxygen levels- he needs to walk around the house to get up and he may need nausea medication and dry mouth spray. Some people have delay radiation side effects- so if he’s done with radiation and 3 months - 4 months he’s not feeling to hot it’s normal but keep taking him in to his doctors and checking his oxygen.

May I ask if you or any others who have had esophageal cancer had a lot of mucus and saliva BEFORE treatment? My sister quite possibly has it(either Stage 4 cervical cancer mets or a primary) and she gets choked and coughs with lots of mucus and saliva about every other day. No blood in it but LOTS of it. My understanding is it can go on for several hours and then seem normal. She has a lot of gas, as well as getting hiccups. No taste to the mucus-just clear. Thanks so much! God bless!

I did not but maybe because my tumor was growing in my larynx around my vocal cords - so before diagnosis I suffered for years with laryngitis and about 4 months before diagnosis could not breath. We are all different so keep asking - it often goes missed diagnosed.

Thank you!