Treatment
Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy are used to treat cancer of the esophagus. When combined with other treatments, surgery can help to ease symptoms and extend or improve the patientŐs quality of life. Since, in most cases, cancer has spread by the time it is discovered, surgery can cure the cancer in fewer than 15% of the patients with this disease.
Quality of Life Issues
The American Cancer Society has identified four quality of life factors that affect cancer patients and their families; these factors are social, psychological, physical and spiritual.
The concerns that patients and survivors most often express are fear of recurrence, chronic and/or acute pain; sexual problems; fatigue; guilt for delaying screening or treatment, or for doing things that may have caused the cancer; changes in physical appearance; depression; sleep difficulties; changes in what they are able to do after treatment; and the impact of cancer on finances and loved ones. Specific quality of life issues associated with esophageal cancer include inability to eat solid food, guilt associated with a history of tobacco and alcohol use, and end of life issues due to the low survival rate.
You may have many questions and concerns about your Gastro Esophageal cancer diagnosis. We want to extend a helping hand -
We have available information about the causes, treatment, survivorship, and quality of life after treatment, that we can furnish to patients and caregivers.
We can assist you in understanding your treatment options.
We will assist you with personal contact with Gastro Esophageal cancer survivors who have faced your same concerns.
YOU can help by being informed, knowing you are not alone, and having an attitude to...