Oesophagus Cancer - Surgery or Chemo-radio Therapy?

About a month ago, my dad was diagnosed with oesophagus cancer. Thankfully, it's T2N0 and hasn't spread anywhere else. 

We've been given two options. Either go straight for the operation or do chemo and radiotherapy. 

He's undecided and as a family, we are torn between the two options. I know it's a personal preference but has anyone had any experience with this? 

Any advice will really help. 

  • Hi,

    So sorry to read about your Dad's diagnosis, but glad to hear that it was diagnosed early enough for him to have these options.

    It would be worth asking his Oncologist which option he or she would go for in the same situation. Both options have their advantages, as I'm sure you will know by now. 

    Given the choice, I would probably have gone for surgery as soon as possible, followed by chemo to wipe out any undetected mets. Only your Dad can decide though.

    I hope you get more answers from people who have been down this road.

    Best wishes

    Dave

  • Hi there

    welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your dad

    i can only comment from my own personal experience as I had throats cancer, but did not need an operation, but went traight into 30 sessions of Tomotherapy (advanced radiotherapy) and 6 8 hours sessions of chemo

    although I have not had an operation, as Dave says the operation and chemo, if offered, is a good solution

    depending on what type of radiotherapy is offered will depend on how long it takes you to recover, and it's a hard slog through it ..... but we all manage it

    as dave says it's really something you need to talk to you medical team about as I would have thought they would be best placed to give you the benifits of both

    lets us know how your dad gets on

    wish him all the best with whatever treatment he has, and perhaps we will hear from him one day

    vatch

  • Thank you for your reply Dave. 

    We are very lucky that it hasn't spread so we are given these options. Even 3 weeks later since I last posted, his weight has deteriorated to a level that puts him at an intermediate risk for surgery. 

    We are still weighing up the options but thank you for your help. 

  • Hello Vatch, thank you for responding to me. 

    Like I have just written in my response to Dave, it has become increasingly difficult to weigh up the risks in both. 

    On one hand, surgery is an intermediate risk and the other, chemo and radiotherapy could prove to be ineffective. 

    We will have to decide one way or the other but hopefully with an appointment next week, we can come to a conclusion. 

    Thank you for your advice 

  • Cyber

    feel free to ask anything ..... if we can help on here we will try too

    and keep us up to date on where you are in your cancer treatment journey

    all the best

    vatch

  • Hi Hun, my husband was diagnosed with Oesophageal Cacer T4 N2 M0 last April. It was inoperable. He had 6 cycles of Chemo. Six 8 hour every 3 weeks, with a chemo pump constantly in between. He had a 4 week break before having a further 5 weeks of Chemo/radiotherapy. 

    The tumour shrank, till only scar tissue left. Then he was diagnosed with a lung nodule, which he's just had removed and is 3 week post op. Seeing his surgeon tomorrow, and oncologist on Thursday.

    hope all goes well xx