I think some would say get to one of the leading hospitals dealing with esophageal cancer in the country. If that's possible, probably not a bad idea. See what plan they suggest and if it seems right to your brother, start treatment. Take things day by day and give it the best he can to try and get rid of the cancer. I personally think you need hope to help get through treatment. Maybe you can help give him that? There are some survivors of esophageal cancer. I was diagnosed stage 3 mid 2008. You just need to take things a day at a time and do the best you can, with the best Drs. you can. That's pretty much all anyone with cancer can do. Hopefully, he'll have a strong base of people praying for him, family & friends pulling together for him to help him get through all that comes along with esophageal cancer diagnosis. I wish him the best. I'll send you a friend request if you'd like to read my journal of my story. Brenda

Hi dhenth, My heart goes out to you. Your brother is so young. But I will also tell you that this cancer is very unpredictable. There are some survivors on this site who are Stage 4 and have lived several years. My sister has the same diagnosis as Brenda- T3N2 (correct me if I'm wrong Brenda), and yet Brenda has lived several years while my sister is only going to live about a year from her diagnosis. When my sister was first diagnosed, I read everything that I could about this cancer. Some studies suggested that those who responded most to the initial chemo-radiation have a good chance to be long term survivors. In fact, if the tumor totally disappears from the initial treatment, all the better. My advice is to read as much as you can to help your brother. You have come to a great site for encouragement and practical information. You are right, it's hard to fight when the odds are so stacked against you, but hope is probably the one thing that binds all of us together. Good luck.

Thanks so much, ladies. You both are right--without hope there'd be no reason to get out of bed each morning.
Brother had an appointment with the oncologist today--don't know the results yet, but guess will find out tomorrow. I think the general idea is to treat the cancer with chemo and possibly radiation to try to shrink it, then have a surgeon go in and remove what s/he can.
It's like a nightmare...my brother Tom seems so healthy! Last time I spoke to him he had just come back from playing basketball. It boggles me that he can be so fit and have this awful tumor growing inside him.
I know it's stupid, but I've been having fantasies about the diagnosis being a mistake: a switched chart, the tumor vanishing as mysteriously as it came etc etc. Such fantasies make me want to slap myself--they're unproductive and a ridiculous attempt to escape from reality.

Hi dhenth. I, too was shocked when my 64 yr old father was diagnosed. Aside from the cancer, he is one of the healthiest people I know. For one, your brother is 49, perhaps has no other health conditions and is in good physical condition - these things improve his chances of survival right off the hop. My dad took a good Run at treatments - both chemo and radiation for 5 weeks with an extra 3 highly concentrated doses at the end. During treatment he stayed active and continued to eat what he could. He lost 15 pounds and had side effects but maintained a positive attitude. As a very devoted daughter, it's been my job to keep normalcy in his life. We do yard work together, go shopping, go for ice cream, go to ball games - we still experience life every day regardless of what the stupid stats say. The moment your brother and my father are diagnosed - they are survivors. Each day is a gift so survive it ... Life it fully. Not one day goes by that I don't talk to or see my dad. Cancer isn't always a death sentence ... Sometimes it can be a life sentence. It is teaching us how to be grateful for our time together and it had taught me how to pray. All you can do is hope and pray for the best in each day. Do not think toward the end ... Think of him as a survivor each day. Please check in here often. It's been so crucial to my understanding of the disease. And take the stats and googling for what it's worth - your brother is 1 person and his situation is completely different from anyone else. I will add you to my prayers. It's a long road but on this website you don't have to do it alone.

Hugs,
Meghan

I was Stage 4 and next week will be 4 years cancer free. You are entitled to be upset and depressed...and the stats make those feelings much worse. However, this is no time to give up. Buckle up for a rough ride..but he is about to face a disease that clearly is beatable. Strides are being made all the time. As I've shared in the past, my Oncologist told me Oxaliplatinum is changing the landscape of EC. Your bro is young and strong...that is huge.He needs to stay positive. If the mind gives up the body will follow...good luck and keep us posted...ML.

Thanks all for your words of support. It's going to be a rough ride--got the news this morning that Brother is Stage 4--apparently that cancer-filled node in his neck bumped him up a notch. I'm trying very hard to be optimistic as Tom still looks and feels great--he's already enrolled in some experimental treatment with a Dr. Zev Wainberg--something about changing the genetic structure of the tumor. Happily there seem to be a lot of experimental treatments plans for this cancer, and I guess my brother's relative youth and health makes him quite a juicy test subject for such therapies.

I want to offer my support to you and your family. Have your brother read this site. Read my journal. I was diagnosed Stage IV in 2008. I was 48. They said I couldn't have surgery and would only receive palliative care. I've been through chemo (two series) and radiation. Last year, I had the surgery! I'm doing very well. Please get all the information, the best doctors, lots of support and keep hope in your hearts.

I was diagnosed Stage IV last year on July 20. This year on July 5 my doctor told me I was in remission, after two rounds of radiation (one for the main tumor and another for a spot on my spine) and three of chemo. My latest chemo drug is Taxotere, but I'm currently on a chemo break following the remission finding in my last PET scan.

So Stage IV is not an automatic death sentence. A positive attitude, lots of support from family and friends, good doctors and nurses -- they all make a difference. I would also urge your brother to look at alternative therapies, not as a replacement but as an adjunct to conventional therapy. I began taking intravenous vitamin C at the same time I started the first round of chemo and radiation. I'm convinced it made a huge difference both in my tolerance of the chemo and my ultimate outcome. (See my thread, An Update on my Condition, on this page.)