<p>Probably a strange place to ask but I’m really stressed and CC parents have such broad knowledge.</p>
<p>My husband was just diagnosed. The CT scan shows that it has not progressed outside the esophagus wall which is good news I guess, and they see no sign that it has metastasized. The doc who found it says the probable treatment is chemo and radiation. We see an oncologist next week. From researching on the internet (did it hoping for reassurance but got the opposite), it seems that generally the prognosis for this type of cancer is poor. But it is apparently rarely found early as symptoms don’t show up till it is advanced (his was found because they were checking for something else), and this is early (don’t know staging yet), so I am hoping that will make it more hopeful. </p>
<p>Also I read that in early stages surgery is often the first step. This does not seem to be where they are leaning for my husband. He has poor health (among other things, heart and lung damage from blood clots 7 years ago - sleeps with oxygen and is on coumadin), so i am wondering if that is why.</p>
<p>I was so shocked when I heard the news, that I couldn’t even ask any questions. Hoping to be more prepared when we meet with the oncologist this week, but my head is just in a fog. Any input about what to ask would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>And just to add to the week, our old cat died yesterday (of cancer).</p>
<p>So, so sorry swimcatsmom. Such difficult news. No knowledge, however know that it is far more common in E. Asia than the USA, so you might look at treatments in Japan, Korea and China.</p>
<p>sicatsmom, big cyberhugs. Get a second opinion, if possible. Oncology is not exact science. It is quite possible that your H is not a candidate for extensive surgery due to his fragile health condition (My dad was not, either - he had some type of a stomach cancer, and we never learned exactly what led to the internal bleeding that killed him because of medical privacy). It is also likely that another doctor might have some other treatment ideas and proceeds with the surgery. I’m keeping fingers crossed that your H’s cancer was caught so early that chemo will wipe it out. Hugs again.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear about the diagnosis. My mother had esophageal cancer, diagnosed in her early 80’s, and was successfully treated with radiation only. The doctors felt that it was inoperable due to the risk of damaging her throat. She lived near a large teaching hospital and had a radiologist who specialized in very accurate radiation, again due to the worry about the surrounding throat tissue. The radiation, which she hated getting, did the trick and she was cancer-free after the treatment.</p>
<p>At the time of diagnosis, she had been having difficulty breathing for months and all of the tests missed the tumor growing in her esophagus, so it was found pretty late. It’s great that they diagnosed your husband early.</p>
<p>Feel free to PM me if you want more details.</p>
<p>A group that spun off of our local library foundation to become their own organization is the Grillo Health Information Center. They’re a nonprofit with well-trained volunteers who do research gathering on health issues for people like you. It is free (they operate on donations) and they have access to many expensive databases of medical journals. You don’t have to live in Colorado to use them. If you ask them to provide you with current research on Stage I or Stage II esophageal cancer in men, you might get some useful information. If you provide them the additional information (his age, concurrent health conditions, smoking history) they may be able to tailor it further, but I don’t know how finely detailed the information is on a cancer like that usually discovered at Stage IV.<br>
<a href=“http://www.grillocenter.org/[/url]”>http://www.grillocenter.org/</a></p>
<p>They are a wonderful organization, and agnostic as to treatment and care strategies – this is strictly to help you get information that you then use as you choose. In our area, I know of several people who have used them to find reputable information that they could then use when sitting down with the oncologist.</p>
<p>If you check out esophageal cancer on the Mayo Clinic website you’ll find a list of specific questions to ask that might be helpful in preparation for your appointment. Have your questions all printed out and be ready to write down all of the answers. It’s hard to really hear everything that’s said in this type of appointment so if you have some way to record everything, that would be ideal.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom, I am so sorry to hear this. I don’t have any experience or particular knowledge to offer, but I agree that if his cancer was diagnosed at an earlier-than-usual stage he should have a better-than-usual prognosis. I don’t know where you live, but if you have access to a major cancer center, you should try to go there for a second opinion and treatment.</p>
<p>Best wishes to you and your husband. My family is dealing with cancer too. Brother-in-law was diagnosed with a brain tumor last Jan. (same type as the late Senator Kennedy). I would strongly recommend a second opinion and at a major cancer treatment center, if you are not already at one. We pursued this six months after his initial diagnosis and I can tell you it made a major difference in treatment. I would also recommend a notebook in which to write down questions you want to ask and jot answers down…as well as keeping a record of vitals and tests performed and scheduled. This will help for follow up visits as well. If you are feeling overwhelmed try to bring along another person with whom you are comfortable This is my role at present. I drive, help with negotiating directions in and around the treatment center, I carry coats, tip the valet, bring water, snacks and lunch during long treatment appointments, carry a chemo bag with comfort items…whatever I can anticipate that might make things a tiny bit easier. I do sit in on appointments because they have asked me to…but I make it very clear that I will step out at any point they want me to. And I usually do not ask questions of the doctors directly…but mention questions that I think they should ask either before or after appointments.
My thoughts are with you as you begin this journey together.</p>
<p>So sorry to hear this. Many hugs to you and your family.</p>
<p>I would echo the suggestion to get a second or even third opinion. We are close to several renowned cancer centers and I have seen differences in outcomes in people with aggressive cancers who have gone to these places vs. those who have stayed locally. You can always fly into a place like MDAnderson and get an opinion and even a treatment plan and have it administered locally. A friend of mine is doing that right now.</p>
<p>Yes, CC amazes me as well - that’s why i decided to ask here instead of scaring myself more with google.</p>
<p>Thank you so much everyone, for both the best wishes and hugs and the suggestions/information, including the PMs about a couple of personal experiences. All are really really helpful and I appreciate it so much. I am hoping my brain will start to function again before the doctor’s appointment. The Mayo clinic as suggested by martharap did have a list of questions to ask, so that gives me somewhere to start - hopefully that will help get my brain to focus a bit - just seems full of fog and cotton wool right now! And the suggestions about keeping a notebook and possibly recording stuff (if allowed) are excellent. My husband and I seem to hear different things sometimes.</p>
<p>My best friend, who went through her infant son having cancer, keeps telling me “one day at a time”. Easier said than done for me. Seeing the doctor and finding out the whats, whens, and wheres will help I’m sure.</p>
<p>Yes, stay off the internet. You will always read about the worst case scenarios; rarely do the success stories get told because those people have moved on, are living their lives and going forward.</p>
<p>Good luck. My DH was treated for a different cancer at MD Anderson 4.5 years ago and is doing great now. Early diagnosis indicates your husband can be a success story also.</p>
<p>I am so sorry for all that you and your husband are going through and am sending healing thoughts your way. I sent you a PM about my experiences.</p>