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Tests for oesphageal cancer

Calrosemax
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I am feeling really anxious. I have been referred for an urgent app. for suspected neck/throat cancer today.

Cant get my head around the stats that if it was advanced i might have poss weeks, months to live.

I cant get my head around it all. I am just about to be a grandma. U have cfs but otherwise healthy. U dint drink or smoke and eat a really healthy diet.

Feeling very sad

  • Hello and thank you for your post.

    It can be worrying when developing symptoms that need an urgent referral however please remember that most people being referred this way will find out that they do not have cancer. The symptoms of cancer are also the same symptoms that cause other less serious health problems. Also, if you are diagnosed with cancer it will not be necessarily an advanced one. 

    Waiting for urgent appointments can be worrying, so hopefully you will find out soon what is the matter. In the meantime I hope you have some support from family and friends.  

    Please get back to us if you need any more information or support.  You may find it helpful to talk things through with one of the nurses on our helpline.  The number to call is Freephone 0808 800 4040 and the lines are open from 9am till 5pm Monday to Friday.

    Yours sincerely,

    Caroline 

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    Hi,

    Sorry about your news but where are you finding these stats? 
    I’m guessing Dr Google? 

    Take a step back and don’t panic. You haven’t yet been diagnosed. Even if you are diagnosed with cancer, you haven’t yet been staged or graded. 

    The survival rates for oesophageal cancer in the UK have improved massively since I was diagnosed with it at stage 4 in 2013. At that time I was told 3-5% diagnosed at stage 4 were expected to live 5 years, that figure is now at least 20%. This is ONLY an average and is not a prediction. If it was, I would have been many dead years ago. Every case is different and none of us are average.

    This page gives the context https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/oesophageal-cancer/survival

    Good luck!
    Dave

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