Free Republic

People battling advanced esophageal cancers should get doses of chemotherapy both before and after tumor-removing surgeries, a new study suggests. "There is considerable disagreement as to whether giving all adjuvant [chemo] therapy upfront versus 'sandwich' adjuvant therapy before and after surgery is the better standard of care" for people whose tumors can be removed with surgery, explained researcher Dr. Jennifer Tseng. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 22,000 Americans will be diagnosed with esophageal cancer this year and over 16,000 will die of the illness. The question of when to administer chemotherapy for esophageal cancer has been a...

A group of drugs commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction may be able to boost the effect of chemotherapy in esophageal cancer, according to new research. This research found the drugs, known as PDE5 inhibitors can reverse chemotherapy resistance by targeting cells called cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) residing in the area surrounding the tumor. Although this is early discovery research, PDE5 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy may be able to shrink some esophageal tumors more than chemotherapy could alone, tackling chemotherapy resistance, which is one of the major challenges in treating esophageal cancer. The researchers found that levels of PDE5, an enzyme...

Well, just got back from the doc and he says it is esophageal cancer and I will be facing one or more surgeries, chemo and whatknot--

Paint The Town Periwinkle - Esophageal Cancer Action Network

MINNEAPOLIS, (AP) -- Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew says he will no longer fight esophageal cancer and is settling in for the final days of his life. The Minnesota Twins released a statement on Friday from Killebrew, saying he has "exhausted all options" for treatment and the cancer is incurable.