Chest Pain after treatment and pneumonitis: Any suggestions?

Well... important they get to the bottom of this... especially if worsening. Now, with your previous pneumonitis, and with the effects of radiation and chemo... maybe this will pass. But even if you are surgery eligible, most thoracic surgeons will not perform this surgery unless you pass certain pre-surgery criteria... relative to your heart and lungs. These surgeons like their patients to have good outcomes as well.... they like having a good track record.

The surgery absolutely gives us a good bump in long term survival... but we have to get there first. And I've seen quite a few, due to their comorbidities, not have their esophagectomies. Best of luck.

Gary

Hi!! My husband is stage IV, he was suffering from chest pains and stomach discomfort. His doctor prescribed to start pantoprazole 40 mg and solved the problem. In his case was acid reflux that was reflecting in the chest.
Maybe is worth to ask your doctor about this possibility.
Good luck!

It does sound familiar. My husband had esophageal cancer stage three this year. He did six weeks of chemo and radiation. After which he experienced that same pain, we thought maybe the tumor has shrunk, but it felt like it was for lack of better words, “hanging on” in the esophagus, and every time he moved forward, or leaned over, it would trigger some nerves in there. We weren’t quite sure, but he just lived with it. He felt horrible the last couple weeks of chemo and radiation and the first couple weeks of recovery but then he really started to feel better. Two weeks prior to his esophagectomy, he had a cardiac stress test and pulmonary function test. The cardiac stress test showed his heart was not functioning correctly, and the cardiologist was quite concerned. At UCLA. They performed an angiogram and found he had five blocked heart vessels . Two days later, they took him in for a quadruple bypass. He had no symptoms or any heart issues, and we did not know his heart was bad. He was a walking time bomb. Once they performed the surgery, he recovered very well, and was able to walk 3 to 4 miles a day prior to his esophagectomy. He had the Esophagectomy at the end of September and he doesn’t have that feeling in his esophagus or chest anymore. we aren’t sure what quite corrected it, but it did go away. I’m not sure you mentioned if you are going to proceed with the esophagectomy as part of the whole therapy but if you do, you might experience that pain or feeling go away.
Prayers for you to recover well.

Hi @islagiatt, I hope you saw the helpful replies from fellow esophageal cancer members like @pj03 @jcrs and @mrgvw. I'm glad that you've had this checked out by multiple specialists to rule out anything serious or obvious. Frustrating, however, that you have no clear answer.

Has the pain lessened as the days pass? Might it be a GI issue?

So much thanks to everyone who responded. You've given me some good specific questions I can ask my doctors.

I was scheduled to have an esophagectomy last January, about 2 months after completing chemo and radiation treatments. My surgeon never mentioned anything at the time about cardiac and pulmonology testing prior to surgery. At any rate, I cancelled the surgery because 1) I was feeling terrible and was still losing a lot of weight, and 2) the PET scan and biopsy results showed no evidence of any cancer still remaining. At the time I felt strongly that I would not survive the surgery.

I had a series of cardiac tests and pulmonary function tests done early last summer. They didn't find anything seriously wrong. Last week, a CT scan and biopsy following an endoscopy showed no new developments, although there's still a thickening in my esophagus at the tumor site.

I don't know if I will get the esophagectomy or not. My surgeon is not pushing it like he was last December. He is monitoring my scans and tests. He is concerned about cancer cells that can only be detected through a PET scan. Insurance will only pay for one PET scan per year, so that won't happen until next spring.

Once again, thank you so much for suggestions and the stories of your experiences. My big concern right now is the chest pain. I have an appointment next week with my onocology radiation doctor. I will bring up some of the things discussed here.

Thanks for getting in touch Colleen. I just now responded on my original post. Unfortunately, the pain is not any better. I have an appt with my radiologist next Friday. Maybe she will be able to help.

I just want to say that I have limited medical experience and I am afraid that I don't always use the correct medical terminology (such as specific doctor specialty names). I hope you and other can bear with me in that respect.

-- Helene

My husband ended up having this kind of chest pain after the radiation also. I took him to the emergency room, thinking he was having a heart attack. They said it was referred pain that actually was coming from the esophagus and surrounding areas from the radiation. The chemo and radiation had done their job and the pet scan was showing no new “hotspots”. At the time their EKG showed nothing wrong with my husband’s heart. But I remember he had excruciating chest pain. The pain medicine they gave him eased it up and actually, I believe they gave him Nexium, which helped as well. They switched him later, too, I believe, Pepcid. And Reglan. That helped a lot. If you have had all your cardiac and respiratory tests come back good then I would proceed with the surgery. My husband is only 57 years old and felt The surgery was the final step of the three-part treatment. Even though slightly delayed from the cardiac surgery in the midst of everything, he is glad he proceeded with it. It’s been a very different recovery than the cardiac surgery but he’s on the other side of it now. The doctor say it’s a miracle that he’s part of the 20% that successfully get through all three phases of their treatment plan so successfully. We know The lords, part in this whole situation, and know that he has provided miracles. And he can do the same for you. Whatever you decide, I pray for God‘s healing upon you. This isn’t an easy disease to have. But it sounds like all your cancer is gone. The surgery removes all the dead tissue and helps reduce any possibility of cancer returning in that area. It is slightly altering in his life for eating patterns, etc. but he is maintaining weight and all his tubes and lines are gone and he is eating anything he wants to. He is getting strength through his cardiac rehab three days a week and able to live life and get out and do things. I pray that soon you’ll be able to do all that you like doing again. blessings on you!
Patti

I just wanted provide an update on this situation. So far I have seen my oncologist, GP, radiologist, cardiologist, pulmonologist, gastroentrlogist, and surgeon about the chest pains. Not one of them seems to have a clue about what is going on. They all say to see someone else. The gastroenterologist flat out told me it isn't her problem (her words exactly). The pain has been getting worse. I feel I am being treated as nothing more than a problem patient they don't want to deal with and wish I would go away. I have esophageal cancer! I am not a hypochondriac. In fact, I was seldom sick in my life prior to this. I have no idea what else to do.

@islagiatt, this is deflating and discouraging. I can imagine that your distress and frustration makes things even worse and you're at your wit's end. I just re-read your original post. Let me see if I have this correct.
- Pneumonitis was treated successfully last spring and you no longer have inflammation in the lungs.
- You only experience the pain when bending over or with physical exertion like walking uphill.
- You had chemoradiation, but no surgery. You completed treatment over a year ago (Oct 22).

Do I have that right? Did the cardiologist perform any tests?