Esophageal Cancer: Surgery Or Not?

@rickho, I wanted to check back in with you. Did you make a decision about whether to have surgery or not?

Just the standard type of blood test and urine testing.
I also have a immune system problem , minimal change disease”

I had the surgery with some reluctance in April of 2023. It is a rough surgery and a tough course of recovery at 68 years of age but not unbearable in my experience. Almost a year later and my EGD yesterday showed me cancer free for the moment. Downside is the brutal bouts of Late Dumping Syndrome that seem to have become more frequent in the last few months and definitely more extreme. Eating is rarely a pleasure anymore and my days of enjoying a good whiskey or glass of craft beer are behind me. On the plus side I've added years with my wife and children and can still enjoy music and books so a more than fair trade off. Both my oncologist and my surgeon made compelling arguments for the surgery without sugar coating the trajectory and for me it was worth it. Good luck with your decision and feel free to reach out with questions.

rheuben
I'm 79 and was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. I was deemed not a candidate for surgery to remove cancerous tumor in lower esophagus. I have had 28 days of radiation and chemo. The latest scans show the esophageal cancer is all gone. I'd be happy to answer questions?
Don

I am 84 years old and have just turned down surgery. After radiation and chemo, no cancer was seen in the PET scan and was not found after a scope with biopsies. The scope really confirmed my decision to just wait and watch. The surgery would have given me about a 60% chance to not die of esophageal cancer for 5 years. but some say it takes a year to recover from the surgery. I choose to not give that year up, and to hope I will live a few more good years, perhaps dying of something else.
You, the patient have to decide. It's hard, but you have to choose. Gather the best information you can, first, then decide. there is no easy way to do this.

Would you share what type of blood tests they do for monitoring?

It’s such a hard decision. My mom (84yrs, T2 N1 M0, no co-morbidities) just decided no for the surgery, but she is older than you. She did chemorad, PET looked clean. Went to Mayo for sonographic endoscope & biopsy (3 sites + lymph nodes, all clean) because local docs didn’t want to investigate further. We hear that the cancer will be back but are hoping for anti-cancer drugs to keep it at bay.

Do you know what is your cancer’s likelihood of responding to targeted anti-cancer drugs?

Here is a study online that shows some of the long-term issues post-surgery by Mayo researcher Shanda Blackmon MD https://www.annalsthoracicsurgeryshortrep.org/article/S2772-9931(23)00306-6/pdf

The others are correct… whatever decision you make, make it wholeheartedly & with enthusiasm & it will be right for you.

Hi. I HAD esophageal cancer and didn't question for a second whether to have surgery. I did and it was rough in the beginning but I am almost back to my old self. Next week I am having my 3 year checkup. So far, so good. No sign of cancer and my surgeon said he believes I have a 5% chance of it ever returning. I believe that not having the surgery would be foolhardy but then that's me. I rarely think about it.....life goes on. Whatever you decide I wish you the best. Be positive and good luck.

I would go to Mayo and get the surgery over with. I, too, am 70 and 4 years out I am cancer free…so far. :-). The recovery takes time and you have to learn new eating habits, but it is worth it in my opinion.

I could have had the surgery (Stage 2-3 squamous cell) after the chemoradiation, but I chose not to: I am 72, my husband and I are living our best life, and I just did not want a year taken out of my life, and his. Having the surgery does not guarantee one will stay cancer free, and for many, the quality of life is not there afterward. I am now 1 7 months away from finishing the chemoradiation, have a PET scan and ultrasound endosocopy w biopsies of each third every quarter, and, so far, no sign of recurrence. Shortly after the decision to turn down the surgery, we booked a 20 day cruise from Lima to Buenos Aires, which we just completed. We were gone almost a month, enjoying Lima before boarding our ship, and then a few days in Buenos Aires when off the ship. It was the trip of a lifetime. My next round of tests will late April. Optimistic. That is my personal decision.