I tend to look at our EC journeys in separate stages. The ability to get quickly dx'd (and a full and complete diagnosis) is one thing. Having knowledgeable oncologists and a tumor board to prescribe treatments and plan of attack... is another. Expertise in dealing with EC... many many cases of EC... is paramount. But doing treatments... in this case maybe just a chemo regimen (is she stage 4? Or just growth thru the esophagus, but no spread yet outside?) Can typically be done anywhere. A bag of chemo is a bag of chemo... can be administered anywhere.

But surgery (esophagectomy) is a separate ballgame. It is worth shopping for... this is about as complex a surgery as there is... open heart surgery is child's play by comparison. You want a surgeon who has done many. What is many... doesn't have to be 3 a week... but don't want it to be 5 a year either. And all surgeons aren't proficient at all the different ways this surgery can be done. But what does matter is that they are proficient at the way they know how to do it!

So... first things first. Can your sister even get to surgery? That will be determined in 2 to 3 months, as her treatments are done and she is then re-scanned to be sure all is looking as it should to get to surgery. But right up front her doctors will tell her if she, at this point in time, is a surgery candidate. And this can change, either way, as she progresses thru treatments.

So... the question is... is Mayo a good place to be for ALL her esophageal cancer care? I did not do any of my care at Mayo as I'm in southern California and did all of my stuff just 15 minutes from my house (I lucked out!)

But yes... Mayo is first rate... a good place to be for the entire EC journey.

Be well... and all the best.

Gary