Replies

Prayers for Mr. Lantos and his family.

EC is one of the most aggressive cancers and it is an awfully painful way to pass. My husband has been fighting EC for a year and thankfully due to totally out of control aggressive treatment plan plus his youth and general good health he is now NED. To treat EC ... one first gets chemotherapy in hopes of shrinking the tumor which is preventing one from swallowing, then a course of radiation and finally surgery (Ivor-Lewis) to remove one's esophagus and the upper portion of the stomach. Oh, and don't forget the joy of using a "J" Feeding Tube inserted into one's intestines to get calories (bag feed). This is of course if the disease has not advanced into the liver and lungs.

Oldexpat is right - if you have GERD or RELUX you need to get an endoscopy as esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the U.S. at this time. Anecdotally, it is suspected the rise it due to so many people are self-medicating with the little purple OTC pills and not seeing a doc until it is too late. It used to be an 'old man's' disease but more and more young men (and more women) - 30's-50's - are being diagnosed.

Again, prayers for the Lantos family.

There's a preliminary disorder resulting from GERD called Barrett's Esophagus which is a change in the lining of the esophagus. It can lead to cancer but can also sometimes be reversed. People with GERD should be tested with endoscopy to try to catch this before it leads to EC.

Anecdotally, it is suspected the rise it due to so many people are self-medicating with the little purple OTC pills and not seeing a doc until it is too late.

The best information I have is that if Proton Pump Inhibitors (such as Prilosec) eliminate the pain (as they do with me), the risk of Barrett's and worse is quite low. Do you have info to the contrary? Best wishes for your husband's total recovery!