Hello James, my name is also James and I am trying to support my dad through oesophagus cancer. Unfortunately he did not qualify for surgery due to age and findings of a heart murmur during testing. He completed 6 weeks of radiotherapy and chemo and although initial Pet scans and endoscopy showed that the tumor had gone, today we have had unfortunate news it has returned. We have been told no further treatment to the area is possible due to the previous round of treatment. We are all devastated. 

we are hopeful that a stent can be inserted in the next few weeks to assist with eating as that has been a real struggle for the past few months with my dad losing alot of weight. Hopefully this enables dad to build up some strength. 

Your story sounds amazingly positive. I’m not sure why I’m writing the above, a little lost after todays news and come across this thread whilst be unable to sleep! 

Hi james

i was diagnosed with Oesophageal junction cancer back in January. Went for an endoscopy as was having severe burps (like a lion roaring) and coughing a lot of the time and sometimes needed to ‘double swallow’ certain  foods. So it was a massive shock when they told us. I started chemo on 14th Feb - 100% of both etoposide and carboplaton for 6 rounds , last dose was end of June. I couldn’t have an operation as had spread to my liver , so classed as stage 4 - which I hate as people assume if stage 4 you will be dead in days ! I had a CT scan 4 weeks ago so waiting on results of all the chemo. My mid point scan was very promising as the liver Tumour had gone from 8.5 cm to 4cm and the main tumour had shown significant regression, which my oncologist was very pleased with.

one question did you suffer with chemo belly and once your chemo ended . And which NHS trust are you in ?

thanks for your post, needed some positive news about the outcome possible 

Good to hear your still in good spirits, it was 2012 when I got diagnosed and it was my 40th birthday when I had the operation, at the time I was diagnosed my then partner was throwing me out I had been made redundant from my job and had only just taken a mortgage out with the ex partner, I was first diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and varices and they took biopsy of what they thought was an ulcer I knew it would come back as cancer I just knew, the specialist took me and my mum into a room and basically said I was a very poorly guy with a big tumour on the junction of the esophagus and stomach, cirrhosis of the liver and varices which were ready to explode and I had not very long left to live maybe 6 months as the liver was too damaged the surgeon wouldn't risk going around it to get to the tumor, I told the specialist I would be attending his funeral before mine then I went back to my bed and everything just caved in, I couldn't take all this in, it was immense head mess up, anyway to cut a very long story short and to save me typing I will get to the good bit, when they all have their monthly meetings they decided to see if the could get past the liver and remove the cancer, because I was quite young to have this cancer anyway when the cancer surgeon went through my stomach with the camera to check when I came round from the anesthetic the surgeon told me my liver was fine and he was 90% sure he could get the cancer( I said wait a minute my livers fine and he said yes but couldn't comment anymore about the outcome) I couldn't believe it when the MC Milan nurse eventually told me they had made a mistake and got my results mixed up with someone else's so I was put forward for chemo then Ivor Lewis op then chemo again and here i am today its not been an easy ride but i can honestly say from the moment i was diagnosed i was so positive i would beat it and I believe to this day that being that positive save me.

Oh wow, yep I am a strong believer in PMA and have a very strong faith , so o believe all working in my favour 

Hi sorry to reply so late I know every second is valuable, have you thought of getting a second opinion my aunty was 83 and was offered the surgery but refused as she said she had lived long enough and had an amazing life she as sadly passed away now, I hope you are coping as good as can be I've gone through your message a few times now and I'm wandering if your dad wants to go through the surgery and whatever else they want to use to try help your dad, but I can honestly say if I was him I would scream for it, I know a gentleman who comes to our esophagus meetings and that's exactly what he did, and in the end he got the surgery and is quite comfortable now. Esophagus cancer treatment and surgery as come a very long way since I had my operation the Ivor Lewis operation they basically cut you in half when Today's surgery is minimal invasive and the chemotherapy is not as dramatic, as for your dad having a stent fitted this is a horrible thing to have to go through just to get food passed the tumor I would honestly be hell bent on surgery if at all possible I can't see why not if the tumor is less than 4 grade please push as hard as you can atb James 

I didn't suffer from chemo belly the chemotherapy was very difficult and I was on a trial as well. Stage 4 is a very sad position to be in mainly for your close ones, but never the end, people have beaten stage 4  and I believe you can the way I dealt with my tumor was to believe it wasn't there but I suppose if your swallowing is difficult it would be impossible to do that, I also had lemon ginger and garlic every day and kept as fit as possible I just believed I would beat it and I honestly did believe that I would, I'm not in any NHS trust but my hospital is. I also attend daisy bank which is run by cancer support brilliant place if your close enough thanks James 

Thanks