Any Experience with Stage IVA Esophageal Cancer

Posted by eterry @eterry, Sep 18, 2023

Hello - My name is Terry. I am here on behalf of my father to understand everything I can about his diagnosis and treatments he currently going through. He was diagnosed for type squamous cell carcinoma (stage IVA cT4b) back in June 2023. The size seems to be around 3.8 x 4.8 cm in greatest transverse dimension and invasion of left main bronchus and lower lobe bronchus, locally advanced esophageal cancer. They inserted a Stent inside his esophagus to help him eat. He then was told to start 4 rounds of chemo and immunotherapy. He just recently did a CT scan, and the result didn't show any chance of shrinkage after all that treatment. BUT they did see new lesion around his bronchus. We are in the rpocess of talking to a radiation oncologist to assess his case and see if he is qualified for radiation. Initially he was told he was not qualified for radiation nor surgery because of the location of the tumor around bronchus. More to find out this week. I will keep you updated. I am sure I will come back with questions as I my dad is going through his treatments.

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pj03 | @pj03 | Sep 18, 2023

First off I am so sorry that you’re going through all this. I pray for wisdom for all of you, as you continue to find ways to get through this successfully. stage four is difficult because my husband’s radiation oncologist said that if it was stage four that he would not be able to have the radiation. My husband has stage three esophageal cancer. We are already through the chemo and radiation. His surgery for esophagectomy is in 11 days. You never mentioned if you are at the mayo clinic hospital or perhaps a small town. We are in a big city but two hours from UCLA Medical Center my husband’s cancer treatments were performed here, but esophagectomy is definitely going to be at UCLA. If you have a chance to go to a male clinic or larger scale, research hospital for a second opinion, and then do so. I do know that the tumor that is wrapped around the Bronchus is going to be difficult. However, we were told that the squamous cell cancer was much better than dealing with the adenocarcinoma that my husband has.
Today, there are so many different options than there ever was. I would just make sure that you are at the right place to get all your options. Praying for you all!
Patti

naomicanada | @naomicanada | Sep 18, 2023

You need to find clinical trials.

mrgvw | @mrgvw | Sep 19, 2023

Should you want to talk privately... I'm available. I'm in southern California, not too far from Disneyland. I was only stage 3... but that sucks just as bad too... except I did get radiation... and I'm now over 3 years post esophagectomy and doing well so far. But I'm no doubt still on my journey, and being monitored with regular scans and Signatera floating cancer DNA blood tests.

Yes, I've seen many stage 4's come back to not only have radiation... but to also have surgery. Still... it doesn't happen often for stage 4's. The key, for any of us actually, is our response to treatments... whether those treatments are chemo, radiation, or immunotherapy. If our bodies and cancers show a great response... then all things are possible. I personally know many stage 4's who were given months to live (they are regulars on our free Zoom calls), and are doing just fine 3 to 6 years later. Most continue on a specific immuno drug that seems to be doing it for them. And all stage 4's consider themselves stage 4 forever... even if at this moment they are NED. They don't fool themselves thinking they have this thing licked... and neither do I. So hang tough, I know things aren't looking very good, but hopefully they stumble across a chemo and immuno regimen that does the trick. And sometimes radiation is still used palliatively... to offer relief inside the esophagus if it can help shrink the solid tumor there. I've talked with hundreds of patients and caregivers from all over the world... I've seen some crazy sht!

Be well,

Gary