Esophageal cancer

    
      Re: Esophageal cancer
    


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Posted by HFHS M.D.-tbm on March 24, 1998 at 07:42:45:

In Reply to: Esophageal cancer posted by Karin on March 16, 1998 at 13:11:55:
  My father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in Nov 97.  The cancer was found in the liver, soft tissue on his ribs and in the adrenal gland.  He received two chemo treatments.  After the second treatment, the tumors were found to have shrunk considerably, the only one remaining of any considerable size being in the esophagus.  However, the scans also showed an enlarged fatty liver.  My father never regained his strength, continued to run high fevers and ultimately his liver and kidneys failed.  He passed away 3/9/98.  My father had been a heavy drinker and smoker, although had quit smoking 8 years ago.  He was also overweight.  We know that his cancer was stage 4 but is complication with the liver a common problem with this type of cancer?  What is the normal progression of stage 4 esophageal cancer and if the tumors were shrinking, why couldn't treatment have worked?  
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Dear Karin:
My condolences for the loss of your father.
Esophageal cancer generally has very high mortality rates. This is partly because we usually diagnose the cancer relatively late in the course of the disease, and partly because of the anatomy of the esophagus. Most persons with esophageal cancer do not have symptoms which would cause them to seek medical attention until the tumor has grown too large to cure. A time of diagnosis, approximately 60% of persons with esophageal cancer already have metastases to other organs, or invasion of the cancer to adjacent organs.
Metastases to liver are, unfortunately, very common with esophageal cancer. Metastases represent spread of cancer cells through the blood or lymph channels to organs distant from the organ of origin. Once metastases are present, surviving cancer of any kind is very unlikely.

Treatment for stage IV esophageal cancer is offered primarily in an effort to palliate (relieve obstruction, symptoms of pain, etc