We are from Canada and my husband was just diagnosed yesterday.

My sis is in Vancouver coming up to five years post stage 4 diagnosis and getting terrific treatment and care from Lions Gate Hospital

I'm from PEI Canada, but have lived in Florida a long time.
I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer tumor and have had 28 radiation and chemo treatments. The good news is that the cancer is now gone. What was your husband's diagnosis?

I don’t know the answer to your question but we’re in Canada too and my husband was diagnosed last week. It’s a scary time, but at least there are answers for the swallowing problems.

Hi @beckydm, to request a second opinion at Mayo Clinic, you can start by clicking this link http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

How is your husband doing? How are YOU doing?

Welcome Canucks!
@justtrust, are you and your husband still going through the diagnostic process? Do you have a stage and treatment plan?

@jane59, your sister's story of 5 years living with stage 4 gives hope to many. I appreciate your sharing about her. Do you live near her or were you supporting her from a distance?

Thank you for your reply. I’ live across the world from her but in her first year post diagnosis I was with her four times for three weeks each time. The second and third year we were in Covid and I supported her over modern communications speaking or just hanging out every day. Years four and now five it’s back to travelling again! We’re a close family.

Yes, still going through the diagnostic process. Today he sees the surgeon for a 30 minute consult. The cancer clinic hasn’t called us yet.

A scope, CAT, and PET were done in quick succession after waiting months for the scope. That was pretty scary and made it apparent that they were expecting something “more disastrous” than Achalasia.

Poor guy hasn’t been able to eat seamlessly for 6 months now.

Jane,
Is your sister's cancer squamous or adenocarcinoma? How has she managed to survive 5 years with a stage 4 diagnosis?
My wife was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous of the esophagus a year ago. She underwent chemo/radiation and esophagectomy with an excellent/perfect outcome but 6 months later has received a stage 4 diagnosis (metastatic to a distant lymph node). She's going to start Folfox next week, but we've been told that it's a "palliative" (doc's notes say "salvage") course of treatment, and our perception is that my wife most likely only has about 6-12 months left.
We're wondering if a stone has been left unturned, so we're interested to know how your sister has done so well.
Thanks,
Dave in NC

Thank you for sharing about your wife. All I know is my sis was diagnosed 2018 HER2positive and mets to lymph nodes lungs and liver and told to go home and get her affairs in order. She was started on Herceptin and two other chemo drugs one was plati (something) which she was highly allergic to. She had a double clot in her lungs early on and later had two serious bleeds. She was put on ‘palliative’ or what her oncologist calls supportive chemo from the start. She’s had two stents and has had a feeding tube for the past year. Immunotherapy did not work nor did the radiation. She’s now on Enhurtu and doing much better. She’s got more energy and as it’s a three week cycle she’s got more time between treatments. I don’t think there’s any particular treatment that you’re missing but one things for sure she has refused to sign the DNR they keep mentioning and just doesn’t give up.

Wow, thank you for sharing those details. Best to you and your sister.