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Mass found Suspected Stage 4 Esophageal Cancer squamous cell

Posted by tbkomparda @tbkomparda, Jan 17 5:21pm

Hello,
My Husband had a colonoscopy/endoscopy yesterday a mass the suspects esophageal cancer while we await biopsy results we have been referred to a medical oncologist who specializes in this type tomorrow his symptoms over the last 5 months have been anemia, weight loss and most recently a lot of belching he can swallow fine our hospital is NW Chicago who has a proton center as an Ovarian Cancer Survivor myself I a bit familiar with chemo but not with this type as I’m very scared would appreciate any info on treatment protocol and survivor stories thank you!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Esophageal Cancer Support Group.

rschreib | @rschreib | Feb 19 10:29am
In reply to @rschreib "I have recently been diagnosed with gastroesophageal cancer. My symptoms came out of nowhere. Last Sunday..." + (show)
@rschreib

I have recently been diagnosed with gastroesophageal cancer. My symptoms came out of nowhere. Last Sunday night I began vomiting blood after dinner. My husband and I went to the ER at which point I was intubated. The doctors did an endoscopic ultrasound, found a mass in the area between my esophagus and stomach, which they biopsied. When I was in the hospital, I also had a CT scan and PET scan. By Thursday I received the pathology report indicating that I have gastroesophageal cancer. I met with oncologists who told me that my liver will need to be biopsied, as an area lit up on the PET scan. Once we have the results, we will have a better sense as to whether this cancer is localized or has metastasized, which will enable my oncologist to determine staging and a treatment plan. We will find out more when we meet with her on Feb. 14. (A quick side note – I am not the usual candidate for this kind of cancer, but since both my father and aunt had pancreatic cancer, it's likely related in some way to my genetic makeup. However, nothing came up with my previous genetic tests.) I will be asking questions to members of this support group as I find out more about my treatment plan. Many thanks in advance.

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The Liver biopsy showed that the cancer had spread to my liver. I am Stage IV. I went to MD Anderson to meet with Dr. Ajani last week and will be in Houston for my treatment. I would like to ask if anyone has been through treatment with chemo and Nivolumab? They are also going to see if I am eligible to participate in a study -- this depends on the presence of FGFR2B in the biopsy of the mass. If so, I may also receive bemarituzumab.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 19 11:14am
In reply to @rschreib "The Liver biopsy showed that the cancer had spread to my liver. I am Stage IV...." + (show)
@rschreib

The Liver biopsy showed that the cancer had spread to my liver. I am Stage IV. I went to MD Anderson to meet with Dr. Ajani last week and will be in Houston for my treatment. I would like to ask if anyone has been through treatment with chemo and Nivolumab? They are also going to see if I am eligible to participate in a study -- this depends on the presence of FGFR2B in the biopsy of the mass. If so, I may also receive bemarituzumab.

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Hi @rschreib, several members have experience with chemotherapy and the immunotherapy nivolumab (Opdivo). You might wish to start with this discussion:

- Immunotherapy for Stage IVA SCCA of the middle esophagus
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/immunotherapy-for-stage-iva-scca-of-the-middle-esophagus/

I'll be interested to hear about the genetic testing and whether you're a candidate for the clinical trial or not.

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tbkomparda | @tbkomparda | Feb 19 11:14am

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for reaching out as this has been quite a new journey for us. He is starting this Thursday 5 weeks once a week of low dose carbo/taxol and 5 days of radiation for 5 weeks the oncologist originally was a bit downtrodden thought palliative care as only option she put his case in front of the Northwestern tumor board and said it was the best news she could of received and he is a candidate for surgery he is stage 4 squamous cell it had traveled to the supraclavicular lymph node which they biopsied and sent off for next generation sequencing as he is adopted there is no family history. Ideally, I wanted to take him to the proton center, but he refused due to the drive at this point he can still swallow the radiologist doesn't want to put in a feeding tube until it's absolutely necessary the radiologist also mentioned shooting for curative. We meet with the surgeon this week for a consultation. I have to admit that's the part that scares me the most I did see a clip on the news about robotic surgery.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 25 3:30pm
In reply to @tbkomparda "Hi Colleen, Thank you for reaching out as this has been quite a new journey for..." + (show)
@tbkomparda

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for reaching out as this has been quite a new journey for us. He is starting this Thursday 5 weeks once a week of low dose carbo/taxol and 5 days of radiation for 5 weeks the oncologist originally was a bit downtrodden thought palliative care as only option she put his case in front of the Northwestern tumor board and said it was the best news she could of received and he is a candidate for surgery he is stage 4 squamous cell it had traveled to the supraclavicular lymph node which they biopsied and sent off for next generation sequencing as he is adopted there is no family history. Ideally, I wanted to take him to the proton center, but he refused due to the drive at this point he can still swallow the radiologist doesn't want to put in a feeding tube until it's absolutely necessary the radiologist also mentioned shooting for curative. We meet with the surgeon this week for a consultation. I have to admit that's the part that scares me the most I did see a clip on the news about robotic surgery.

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@tbkomparda, what did you learn at the surgical consult? How are you and your husband doing?

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tbkomparda | @tbkomparda | Feb 25 6:09pm

Hi Colleen
We really liked the surgeon his partner would be present at surgery he does the robotic part he said with squamous cell as it can be highly chemo/radiation we’ll see what his petscan looks like after treatment.

My Husband had his first chemo and 2 radiation treatments my concern is that he may not be getting enough calories in they will be monitoring him closely. As you know it’s a difficult treatment. Thank you so much Tammy

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dorenemonchil | @dorenemonchil | 3 days ago
In reply to @taken2011 "Personally being a Stage 4 Throat Cancer Survivor. I woukd take him to A Caancer Treatment..." + (show)
@taken2011

Personally being a Stage 4 Throat Cancer Survivor. I woukd take him to A Caancer Treatment Center of America. Vanderbilt is 1 in Nashville Tn. They are great .

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Thank you for your help. I will check into this cancer center for America. He is in the hospitial right now. Fluid around his lungs. Since putting a chest tube in place and draining the fluid out it has not filled up any more. I read that this sometimes can happen at the beginning of lung cancer or in late stages of lung cancer. His surgeon that removed the tumor came to see him and said he can't do anything because it requires no surgery. The radiologist is giving him radiation . The oncologists has not been to see him and it's been 4 days being admitted to the hospitial. I'm searching where to go .

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