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Hi all, have just joined the message board and have started this thread on oesophageal cancer. My husband was diagnosed a few months ago. It is a cancer which appears to be increasing in incidence, so I am sure that there are some people (patients, survivors, carers, etc.) who may wish to chat. I am happy to share our experiences thus far, and offer/receive any advice.

Would love to hear from someone else who has experience of this cancer. Am due to start radio active iodine treatment in the following two weeks.

hi, i have been diagnoised with tongue cancer and told i also have some in a gland in my neck. I am currently waiting on radium treatment to start. to say this is a shock is an understatement - i thought i had an ulcer in my mouth! has anyone been through radium on the mouth? what can i expect? any help/advice greatly appreciated...

Hi, I was diagnosed in February last year with cancer of the tongue. Professor Stassen, St James, explained I would need surgery to remove the tumour. After discussions with Professor Stassen and Prof Hollywood, St, Lukes, I opted for chemo 5 sessions, and radiotherapy - 35 sessions prior to surgery. My husband (actually my ex husband, who has been by my side all through this, my rock) and I really hoped it would kill the tumour, (it didn't ) but it did reduce it. I eventually had surgery in November 2012. The theatre procedure was right total hemiglossectomy, a right modified radical neck dissection, and they did a reconstruction with left anterolateral thigh flap to reconstruct the right tongue, floor of the mouth. I was told I would not be able to speak after the surgery, but I may be able to make sounds. However, three weeks after surgery I did talk. My speech is no where like it used to be and I do tell people that I had an operation as it helps relax things. I had a great speech therapist who helped me improve. Also as I had radiotherapy before the operation it meant that the healing process was a lot slower and I now suffer from lympheodema as they also removed a number of lymph nodes from the right side of my neck. At the minute I attend a therapist who specialises in lymphatic massage. This whole cancer thing is very hard, everything in my life has changed and it is very hard on my family too. I hope sharing my experience of oral cancer so far, helps in some way. Biopsy tongue 3/1/12 (49 yrs, 2 sons, 21 and 20). Diagnosed Cancer 1/2/12 PET CT 6 cm lesion 16/2/12 Surgery scheduled March, however larger lesion discovered, surgery postponed 9/3/12 PEG / Rig 15/3/12 5 Chemo 35 Radio PET CT good response 2/10/12 Biopsy 18/10/12 cancer still there MRI showed Lesion reduced 15/11/12 Surgery - Trachea, R hemiglossectomy R mod radical neck dissection, L anterolateral thigh flap 16/11/12 Diagnosis yPT2NoMo

My husband Sean, passed away yesterday, 1st. February. I want to thank most sincerely the Wexford Hospice Homecare team, they were absolutely wonderful, Janet, Niamh & Orlagh. Sean loved Janet, she told him she would always be honest with him & she kept that promise while also taking into account what the family told her. These ladies are true angels & are most deserving of all our support. Who knows when we might need them? We must continue to support this terrific service. The family want to thank the wonderful Oncology team at Wexford Hospital,they were so good & caring, thanks Mary, Jenny, Sasha & Margaret. Thanks to Dr, Calvert, Sean's Oncologist & to Dr. Caroline Hogan who was an absolutely wonderful support as well as a great & caring physician. Many, many thanks to Paddy & all the staff in Farrell's Pharmacy, Templeshannon, Enniscorthy. They really went out of their way to help me in every way they could & I appreciate it most sincerely. I will miss the love of my life forever but he is now with our Son Gary & I know I will meet up with again some day. Rest in peace my darling. XXXXXXXXXX

This is my first time on forum. Diagnosed in feb with metastic breast cancer . Very scared . Chemo finished . On hormones now . Any one out there with similar. Had first diagnosis twelve years ago. Full right sided mastectomy Plus chemo. Tamoxofen for five years. Thought I was home and dry.

Hi all I have two daughters, 14 and 4. My 14 year old knows I have cancer, but my four year old doesn't. I explained that my shoulder was sore when I had my mastectomy, as I am still not able to lift her. Baldness is looming at the end of this month, as I start chemo next week. I just wondered how those of you with smaller children, explained your baldness to them. I don't think I want her to know that I am so sick that my hair fell out, but on the other hand I want to be as honest as I can be with her as well. I would be grateful to hear what worked for some of you. Many thanks, Mxx

Hi everyone I have being on Tamoxifen for 4 years. My weight went from 8 and a half stone to 11 stone when I started taking tamoxifen. I managed to get down to 10 stone by exercising and eating sensibly but cannot shift anymore weight no matter what I do. I even did the 2 day diet for nearly a year but no joy. I never had to watch my weight I was always thin and I had a very big appetite. Last year my oncologist told me I would be on tamoxifen for 10 years and not 5 years as was originally prescribed; because of the new study that found 10 years is better. Therefore I was hoping next year I would lose the weight gained but seen as I have to stay on tamoxifen I would love to know if anyone managed to lose weight and how! I am so grateful to have tamoxifen - don't get me wrong but I would like to be 9 stone for health reasons; as I do agree that weight causes certain illnesses.

Just looking for some advice please. I was diagnosed with DCIS in my right breast last May. I had two surgeries some lymph nodes removed which were clear thank goodness. Followed by radiotherapy. My most recent mammogram was in March. I also had a check up by my surgeon in July. But I am now experiencing pressure, not pain in the same area where the DCIS was but on the other breast. I am wondering if my mind is working overtime and if I am worrying for nothing. I didn't notice any pressure or soreness before finding the lump on the right side.

i thought id start a new thread here for anyone who has lost a loved one. once they are gone the family tend to be forgotten to get on with things and [for many of us me included] we are not ready to forget the person who passed away. so i thought it would be a place to write down how we feel or just to talk to others in the same situation. i really hope anyone in this position will take advantage of this thread and maybe help someone else as well................ anyway, i will start the thread by saying, i lost my dad to cancer of the oesophagus on 25 sept 2008. i still cry a lot as he and i were very close. he was the best dad a girl could wish for [in my eyes] and he died not knowing he was going to be a great grandad. i feel cheated that he was taken from me the way he was, he was 73 and i always expected him to die of old age and without pain and suffering. i just celebrated my 40th birthday yesterday and it was awful that he wasnt here, but he couldnt hold on and i wouldnt have wanted him to try. anyway that about sums up my story so please feel free to put your stories here and hopefully there will be a little comfort in knowing there are others like you out there. thankyou all for reading this and [hopefully] putting your own stories here too. trisha.