Palliative treatment means they concentrate on making the patient as comfortable as possible, rather than seeking a cure. It doesn't sound that great, put like that, but several patients, including some on this site, are receiving this care and living for years and years. Best wishes, Harry

Thank you x

My Dad is 90yrs old and I live 600 miles away work full time but travel up once a month for 5/6 days...I just need to know what we are dealing with.....was supposed to be getting contact from a Nurse from the Upper GI clinic and a McMillan nurse but to date no one has told me anything.....

Hi Tracy55, that is tough with distance and work....it does sound like he might be coping well with Stent at present to allow breathing, swallowing etc. But its a balancing act in my friend's experience, and what works for a few weeks may need adjustment fairly frequently. Can you get to see the nurses locally on one of your trips? 

Thank you... yeah I'm going to see if I can chat with someone before I go up to Scotland again this month. He was appointed a McMillan Nurse who visited him a few time since diagnosis but she was placed back into the local hospice and no one has been to see him since...that was in September.....

Oh that is just not right, sounds like he's fallen through the cracks....at his age he needs more support, and you need to know he is being seen and cared for....