I was diagnosed with a cancerous nodule in my esophagus in January 2024. It was removed via EMR in April. The pathology report indicated that the cancer cells were moderately to poorly differentiated and there had been lymphatic vascular invasion. I met first with my thoracic surgeon who said given my condition, data indicated that the chance of recurrence was 20% or less. He could do an esophagectomy or we could stay under tight surveillance... Imaging and endoscopy every three months. I feel as though he felt that the Esophagectomy was not necessary at this time. I met with my oncologist yes ..read more

Hello to you all. My husband was initially dx w/stage IV EC in April 2018, at age 55. After 2-1/2 years of aggressive chemo, he's been in remission since mid-2020. He was declared NED and we were elated!! Other than neuropathy in his feet which is quite bad, no swallowing problems or other symptoms. He had a routine surveillance endoscopy in late February. Bx showed the cancer has recurred. Met with the oncologist, had the PET scan which didn't show anything outside the esophagus thankfully and he's going to have a consultation with radiation therapy to see if he's eligible for that this time ..read more

Hello, I am a 74 YO, seven year survivor of esophageal cancer. I had an esophagectomy in October of 2017. Now I am experiencing some serious lower back pain. My surgeon is suggesting a spinal cord stimulator. He wants to schedule an MRI but I am wary of lying flat for up to an hour. Further, if I decide to proceed, the procedure requires me laying on my stomach for approx 2 hours under general anesthesia. Has anybody else have any experience with laying in a prone position for extended periods, especially under a general? Thank You for any info, Harry ..read more

After six months of swallowing becoming more difficult, I had an Esoguard test done January 31, 2024. On February 13, I got the call it came back positive for Barrett’s Disease and/or adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer. It doesn’t specify which one. My PCP gave me a referral to a GI doctor, but most are booked out until July. In the meantime, the tightness in my chest is non-stop, with food becoming more difficult, by the day, to swallow. it’s becoming painful, as it tries to move to my stomach. I can’t swallow pills, as they get stuck. I’ve resorted to opening the powdered pills and putting the ..read more

I had my Esophagectomy on 12/19. They also did a small neck dissection and they had to do that gastro thing… forgot what it was called. I’m doing pretty well and have a great prognosis. My question is has anyone else experienced a raw throat feeling that kind of takes your breath away and makes ya cough quite a bit ..read more

I was diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer last Monday. I'm a mess. Nightmare of care co-ordination with providers and insurance. How do I see the entire post of people who post? I see things like, "The most important thing you can do to survive is....." And then gets cut off. Tips, suggestions, advice welcome. Thank you ..read more

Hello there. My husband has been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer (with metastases near his pelvic bone and some spots on his lung as well). He had 10 chemo sessions since August 2023, unfortunately nothing seems to work at this point. His doctor had suggested for him to take Lonsurf as a "last resort", and they will also start radiation on Monday. Some of the posts here were written 6 years ago, so any new information from anyone who are willing to share their experiences about this chemo drug would be grateful appreciated. Thank you for your time. ❤️ (Reposting this topic on here, si ..read more

may 2024 be a better year for you all. It’s been a long time since I last checked out this site. I wanted to offer hope to any and all that visit. I am an unusual 17 year survivor and you might be too! Please feel free to reach out ..read more

Has anyone in the group faced challenges with insurnace denying proton therapy? I am with Unitsd Healthcare and they have denied stating its efficacy is not proven. How do I overcome this challenge - my doctor at MD Anderson is appealing second time ..read more

Hi everyone, my name is Emily, and I was diagnosed with Stage 3A Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus at the age of 26. I wanted to share my story with those who might find it helpful, or just insightful in the journey of someone going through this cancer treatment at this age. In May of 2021, I ended up in the ER with upper left quadrant pain and didn’t know the cause of it. I had received the normal work up (CT, labs, UA) and almost all of my results came back okay. The only abnormal result they really received was that a lymph node in my heptogastric ligament was abnormally sized and that I shou ..read more