Tpoulos thank you for providing the link to the article which is very interesting. The sad thing about EC is you don't know you have it until the sometimes severe symptoms appear.

I tell anyone who will listen to go see a GI specialist and have an Endoscopy which in my case they found the cancer early and it was dealt with by surgery.

Keeping everyone who has this deadly disease in my prayers and especially our board members.

Cheers Annie

Annie, I am trying to spread the word to those with acid reflux
heartburn etc.... to insist on a endoscopy.. I have heard too many
stories from people who are misdiagnosed or the early symptoms
ignored and they are given meds for acid reflux only to learn it was
EC 2 to 3 months later, if caught earlier as we all know surgery is an
option...unfortunate for my husband it was too late ....

I totally agree with you. i have given 2 talks to our local groups about my cancer and i am the honorary chair for the relay for life here this year. i will once again get to share my story. i will set up a table and hand out the pamplets and the bracelets and posters that were sent to me free from the ec sight. we need to get this caught early and it wont be so deadly. thanks for sharing the article. i want to know as much as i can so that when i speak i can share it with others... Take care, CIndy

The insurance companies have made a decision that because it is rare...and affects only 13,000 of us a year...it is not cost effective to cover the price of a screening endoscopy for everyone...unlike colonoscopy for colon cancer...which is far more common....and exponentially less deadly....because EC is found in so few, why should they waste their money....how about that....I was told my tumor had been present for 5 to 7 years....during that 5 yr. period I had 2 colonoscopies....had I had an endoscopy one of those times, perhaps I would have been stage 2 instead of 4....ML.

Martin - I agree 100% with you and with anything if it doesn't affect me then why worry about it or others. I made enquiries with my insurance company to see about an adjustable bed to help with my reflux while sleeping.

You can imagine what that answer was lol..... this was part of their answer:-
Note: Ordinary beds do not meet XXXXXX definition of covered durable medical equipment, in that ordinary beds are not primarily medical in nature, are not primarily used in the treatment of disease or injury, XXXX does not cover power or manual lounge beds because they are a comfort or convenience item.

Excuse me !!!!!!!!!!!! I wouldn't call getting a decent nights sleep a convenience lol

These beds, like other ordinary beds, are typically sold as furniture. The following are examples of brands of lounge beds that do not fall within the definition of durable medical equipment:

Adjust-A-Sleep Adjustable Bed
Craftmatic Adjustable Bed
Electropedic Adjustable Bed
Simmons Beautyrest Adjustable Bed.

Sorry if I'm getting off the subject but I needed to vent because these insurance companies are just plain stupid especially when it comes to cancer.........

Now I feel better :)

Cheers Annie

Rats! I've been hearing about the Sleep Number bed..... guess they won't cover that either :-) I cannot sleep flat, so you would think they would approve a good nights sleep. Oh well....rats!