No this wasn't a trial, standard treatment here in East Kent, UK. He was tested when diagnosed for the HER2 receptors on the tumour and it came back as receptive. He has a full days treatment of both the Herceptin and the Cistplatin over about 8/9 hours then daily tablets 1300mg of Capecetabine twice a day. The improvement has been excellent so far. I know the Immuno (Biological ) therapy is now an excellent treatment if you are 'lucky' to be receptive. It was mainly used for Breast cancer but they have now found that Oesophogeal tumours can be receptive.

Hubby is now back to eating normally, anything and everything in fact. Appetite has returned, no pain on swallowing, in fact, if you didnt know, you wouldnt know he has cancer.

Wow, thats amazing! I will have to ask the oncologist about herceptin when we see her next, don't think it is available here though...

Oh, I think the oncologist mentioned about a drug that was funded in UK and Australia but not in NZ, and I know you had to have a test for it to see if it would work for you...probably the one.  She said it was only going to extend life by about 2 months and was $70,000 a year so we didn't go for it, but other people have said it is more effective then that, does anyone else know much about it?  There is a woman who was in the paper here recently who is taking it privately for oesophagus stage 4 cancer and she says it can extend her life from a few months to years....so what is true?!! So confusing!!  It is funded here for breast cancer but not oesophagus..

Hi Sweetie 

Thank you very much , i wish you and your dad every good wish and pain free days , love right back at you , stay strong .xx

Hi mikkey71 and Lauren just checking in to see how ur dads are doing my dad is still holding up losing a lot of weight now still eating but not much as u know they have given my dad 3/9 months time is going so fast hope ur both well take care x

Hi Sweetie , my dad died 06 September, I hate this disease . I hope your dad is doing ok .xx

So sorry for your loss mikkey71.

My hubby is doing ok. He has just had treatment 6 of the 8. He had a CT scan after the 4th treatment and he has made exzcellent progress. The primary tumour and the spread to the liver has shrunk significantly, over 50% they said. The chemo is taking its toll now with the accumulative effects. After each treatment he feels like  absolute 's~~t' for about a week then slowly picks up ready for the next session. His appetite and swallowing is  still good and he has actually put on nearly 3kg over the last few weeks. We dont see the consultant  again until 18th November when he will have just 1 treatment to go. I think they said at the start if he responds well he will only need the 8 then go onto a maintenance session of the Herception immunotherapy I think once a month. Its 5 months since his diagnosis and they said 6/12 months if no treatment so am hoping of course for the miracle after another scan, hopefully like Davek he will beat the prognosis and carry on for a long time.

Thank you patgc

 I hope your husband keeps on beating this *** disease . 

All the best to you .

Stay strong both of you .

Hi

Glad he is doing OK, my husband has one treatment of EOX left (our of 8) and then we wait...he is back to eating normally too, just worried about what will happen next when chemo stops!  We have just gone private to have him tested for the herceptin and it came back positive, unfortunately we have to pay for it here (NZ) as it is only funded for breast cancer.  Will be around $40,000 to $70,000 depending on how long it keeps working for.  He is also pretty miserable and lethargic for about a week after chemo, I find a probiotic daily helps him spring back quicker now though.  Also taking a mushroom supplement along with it daily (something they give with chemo in Japan, reckon it helps minimize the effects of chemo and make it more effective).  And eating loads of veges and not much meat! Any other good tips you have heard of?