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My dad has stage 4 esophageal cancer

Dannie150291
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Hi, I am posting for the first time as my dad has just this week been dignosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. We have also found out the cancer is also in his lungs. My dad starts chemo next Friday so I was wondering if anyone can give me some insight with what to expect. I know the cancer in his throat is the size of a lemon, he is unable to eat much and is living off vitamin drinks provided by the hospital and semolina and soups as anything else he ends up just throwing back up. He has lost lots of weight and is just generally unwell daily. Doctors have not said how long he has so could anyone provide some insight into stage 4 of this cancer. Does chemo cure? Online everything seems to say 8-12 months but I'm apprehensive to believe whats online. Do people often live long with stage 4 of this cancer, do they always die quickly? Can anyone share their story please? I have never known anyone with cancer so I have very little knowledge.   Thank you 

  • Hi Dannie150291,

    Welcome to Cancer Chat. I'm very sorry to read about your dad. I hope you're getting on OK although I can only imagine how difficult this must be.

    There is some information on our website here about treatment, which may be useful if you haven't seen it already.

    Unfortunately I'm not able to advise on your questions around expectancy - since everyone is different, it's best to speak to your dad's consultant or medical team if you can.

    If you'd like to talk anything through with our nurses, you can reach them on 0808 800 4040 - Monday-Friday, 9-5.

    If anyone here has any similar experience to share then hopefully they'll be along soon.

    Wishing you all the best,

    Ben
    Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Offline

    Hi dannie,

     

    It looks like you posted this a few years ago, i dont know if this will be any corrolation to you now. But i really hope your dads doing ok. Im 20, my dad had stage 4 esophageal cancer too. I think hes one of the only survivors as theres no statistics basically. Its been 10 years since his big surgery, and although his health is now bad, he survived 10 years more! Sometimes i wish he was taken althose years ago. Its a horrible thing to say but his quality of life has just detriorated. Hes depressed, throws up every time he eats, gets extremery fatigued. And nobody can help him, at the moment his gallblader is getting removed. I feel lucky to still have him but its taken with a pinch of salt. Hes never been the same. Im so sorry you have to go through this too. Whatever the outcome, just know its not your fault, this type is cancer is really rare. and the truth is its different for everybody. some poeple are ready to pass on and some will fight. 

     

  • Offline in reply to Morgierob224

    Hi, 

     

    thank you for your reply. My dad put up an amazing fight since diagnosis in July 2020 but by August 2021 he started his decline and he passed on 31/12/2021. I'm so sorry to hear your dad also has this terrible diesease. 
     

    Like your dad my dad really struggled. He became depressed, irritable, angry and not able to eat anything. Towards the end my dad was so down he started to not respond to calls and messages and wasn't interested in anything bless him. He started to vomit up blood and mucus and that was very difficult to watch. He had given up, he hadn't eaten in months and the hospital he was with were not great either, he wasn't even under palliative care! In his last week of life he ended up in hospital and he never came out.  We were not told he was at end of life but we knew as we knew who our dad was and how much he declined. I even asked the doctor if it was end of life and he said no he can go home in a few days! Luckily I had googled his cancer for the past 16 months and it was obvious what stage he was at so myself and siblings spent the week with him in hospital before he passed. 
     

    I must say, no matter how hard it was seeing my dad suffer, in pain, be depressed, weak,tired and extremely unwell, it never made his death any easier!  It honestly has been the hardest thing ever and I still can't think

    " least he is no longer suffering"

    I would still rather him still be here  

    Again, I'm sorry your dad is going through this and yourself and family as I know how it affects you all. Just cherish that he is still here although I know it's not how you want him to live :( 

    If you ever need to chat please feel free to message me x

     

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