Esophagectomy: What is life like Afterwards?

@leadingham1 my husband was diagnosed with (GE juncture)esophageal cancer in 2024 at the age of 75. He had 4 rounds of FLoT followed by Ivor Lewis minimally invasive eaophagectomy then did 3 more rounds of FLOT post op. He was initially diagnosed with stage 2 but after the surgery pathology showed stage 1B.
It was a rough year with chemo and surgery.he had a small anastomosis leak while in the hospital and needed a pigtail chest drainage. I am an RN so I was able to take care of him post op. It was 24 hour round the clock with tube feedings. Crushing meds and insulin coverage but today he is eating just about everything. He has lost weight but maintaining it. He is out shoveling snow and going to the ymca. Just had a follow up CT and no signs of cancer. He dodged a bullet but followed advise and is now cancer free and doing great.
I hope your dad has the same outcome. We struggled with the idea of surgery but am glad he did it. We just said we have a rough year ahead but a year from now it will be just a bad memory and that’s how it worked out

Answer to leadingham1
This is a difficult question to answer as we are not doctors and do not know the details about your dad.
Read, read, research then research some more. As a stage 2, reading this study might be of interest -
the SANO study conducted in the Netherlands.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(25)00027-0/abstract
Some more reading:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34191461/
I don't know that chemo alone suffices. Chemo AND radiation might be enough to avoid surgery.

The Ivor Lewis surgery is quite complex. Just like most of us I had radiation and chemo treatments prior to the surgery. Had mine done in Tampa/Moffitt with Dr. Fontaine and his team January 28th 2025. Clear margins after surgery. So it’s been a year since surgery and eating will be forever different. I lost 60 pounds, maintaining at 180lbs for now, finally some energy back, eating smaller meals but hard to get used to it because I’m a tall big guy that loved to eat. Great team at Moffitt 5 star accommodations. My digestive system still acts up with diarrhea controlled somewhat. Most times when eating I have a stomach ache most likely from over eating. Good luck.

Good evening, my dad at the age of 73 was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in November 2025. He has done a chemo treatment called FLOT 4 rounds. And then surgery which will be removal of bottom part of esophagus and the stomach.
He is doing well and will to a PET scan soon. But he is not sure he wants to do the surgery, due to all the risk and he thinks quality of life will be bad. Any suggestions. He wasn’t offered radiation. It is stage 2, did not spread to other parts of body and did not go thru walls of stomach or esophagus.
Please advise thank you

@manuelo hello. may i ask how old you are. my brother will have the Esophagectomy feb 3, 2026. he's 69. i'm so scared. he also has had prostate cancer since 2012 but it was being managed. when he told me he had EC He said, he'll have chemo and then surgery to take the tumor out, then another round of chem. i didnt understand how complex it was to get an EC tumor out. i thought it was like breast cancer. i had no idea it was such a high risk surgery, that things were going to be rerouted and how significantly it can change your life. i'm glad i found this site. thank you for sharing you're doing well (and may you always 💞) it was a great comfort to read it

@ajax2026 I was diagnosed nov of 2024 did chemo and radiation, immediately after and surgery April of 2025,its been 10 months post surgery a nd yes there are lots of good days...keep your head up im sending prayers your way.keep in touch.

@rselicmeister hang in there. you are a wonderful person

@jimbon hello i hope this gets to you its my first time using the site. I'm so scared. my brother had chemo for 8 weeks, a 3 week rest and in a few days (on feb 3, 2026) he will have the Esophagectomy. it will be done in montreal. he's going to have chemo after too. he said, the tumors close to his stomach. it may seem odd but I havent asked what stage but i think must be 2-3 because of needing chemo before and after. i decided not to ask because I dont want to here 4. i was confused bybyour post... did you say surgery xmas 2024 and then a temor stayed, everyone said surgery but chemo and radiation treated it. I'm so sorry you are suffering. it was brave of you to have the surgery... but is this what will happen to my brother will he have his own private hell. are there days that you dont feel sick. bless you.

@jimbon

6 chemo and 25 radiation, Christmas of 2024,surgery April of 25...small tumor stayed in esphogus, treatment, s took care of it but everything and everyone, said surgery, 65 years old,doing ok surgery is deff, life changing eating good no feeding tube,lost 20 lbs,non....I mean non stop stop GERD,acid reflux, sphinx valve gone its like non stop volcano down there,don't bend over very long...adenocarsonoma,elevated bed cost under $2000 is deff a nessisary, feel very fortunate, even tho its my private hell,after reading about so many on hear,love and prayers to everyone on hear....willing to answer any questions anyone may have.