Esophageal Cancer: Anyone else?

Hi my 77 year old mum was diagnosed with esophageal cancer a few months ago after over a year of vague symptoms and losing 30kg in weight. Because she has AF and she's not terribly mobile the surgeon would not consider an operation or chemo so her only option was radiotherapy. She was offered two weeks but once we'd seen the oncologist, she was offered five weeks to try and hit the tumour hard (tumour and two lymph nodes involved). She's three weeks after her radiation now and is on the mend, eating well, no pain, gaining weight. Question is, the oncologist said she's hoping the cancer will be in her words "gone". Mum has been told the radiotherapy was only palliative care and given a timeframe by the surgeon of 6-12 months so that's what we were working on but have since been told by the oncologist that time frame was ONLY if mum had no treatment at all. We're so disappointed by the information the surgeon gave us as it was devastating for her to hear. Oncologist says she has patients similar age to mum who she's been seeing for over two years post radiotherapy. We are confused really. I feel in my mind that Mum's diagnosis is terminal but I guess no one has a crystal ball, oncologist included. We get to see her again in three weeks for a check up and perhaps an endoscope to see what's going on down there but mum isn't due for a CT scan till December (supposedly when she was meant to be succumbing to her cancer!).... I guess I was hoping for some advice or if someone has a similar story? I'm concerned radiotherapy will just kill the cancer for a while and then it will return and mum's only option will be a stent and palliative care. It's a cruel disease but I've been heartened reading these posts. We are in New Zealand. Thanks in advance.

Hi my 77 year old mum was diagnosed with esophageal cancer a few months ago after over a year of vague symptoms and losing 30kg in weight. Because she has AF and she's not terribly mobile the surgeon would not consider an operation or chemo so her only option was radiotherapy. She was offered two weeks but once we'd seen the oncologist, she was offered five weeks to try and hit the tumour hard (tumour and two lymph nodes involved). She's three weeks after her radiation now and is on the mend, eating well, no pain, gaining weight. Question is, the oncologist said she's hoping the cancer will be in her words "gone". Mum has been told the radiotherapy was only palliative care and given a timeframe by the surgeon of 6-12 months so that's what we were working on but have since been told by the oncologist that time frame was ONLY if mum had no treatment at all. We're so disappointed by the information the surgeon gave us as it was devastating for her to hear. Oncologist says she has patients similar age to mum who she's been seeing for over two years post radiotherapy. We are confused really. I feel in my mind that Mum's diagnosis is terminal but I guess no one has a crystal ball, oncologist included. We get to see her again in three weeks for a check up and perhaps an endoscope to see what's going on down there but mum isn't due for a CT scan till December (supposedly when she was meant to be succumbing to her cancer!).... I guess I was hoping for some advice or if someone has a similar story? I'm concerned radiotherapy will just kill the cancer for a while and then it will return and mum's only option will be a stent and palliative care. It's a cruel disease but I've been heartened reading these posts. We are in New Zealand. Thanks in advance.

Hi my 77 year old mum was diagnosed with esophageal cancer a few months ago after over a year of vague symptoms and losing 30kg in weight. Because she has AF and she's not terribly mobile the surgeon would not consider an operation or chemo so her only option was radiotherapy. She was offered two weeks but once we'd seen the oncologist, she was offered five weeks to try and hit the tumour hard (tumour and two lymph nodes involved). She's three weeks after her radiation now and is on the mend, eating well, no pain, gaining weight. Question is, the oncologist said she's hoping the cancer will be in her words "gone". Mum has been told the radiotherapy was only palliative care and given a timeframe by the surgeon of 6-12 months so that's what we were working on but have since been told by the oncologist that time frame was ONLY if mum had no treatment at all. We're so disappointed by the information the surgeon gave us as it was devastating for her to hear. Oncologist says she has patients similar age to mum who she's been seeing for over two years post radiotherapy. We are confused really. I feel in my mind that Mum's diagnosis is terminal but I guess no one has a crystal ball, oncologist included. We get to see her again in three weeks for a check up and perhaps an endoscope to see what's going on down there but mum isn't due for a CT scan till December (supposedly when she was meant to be succumbing to her cancer!).... I guess I was hoping for some advice or if someone has a similar story? I'm concerned radiotherapy will just kill the cancer for a while and then it will return and mum's only option will be a stent and palliative care. It's a cruel disease but I've been heartened reading these posts. We are in New Zealand. Thanks in advance.