My story

I was diagnosed in april 2009 with adenocarcinoma at the junction of the esophogus and stomach. Because there was a positive node it was called stage 4. I was 55 yrs. old and in perfect health...active, athletic, etc. The tumor was approximately 3cm. Because of my age, my size and my health they decided to throw the kitchen sink at me in terms of treatment. They were either going to cure me..or not. I started with 6 weeks of 24/7 chemo. I walked around hooked up to an infusion pump for 6 weeks. Every other week I would receive a 4 hr. infusion in the hospital setting. This was done in conjunction with daily radiation treatments for 6 weeks. I never turned a hair...or lost any. None of it made me sick or tired. I worked every day and went to the gym and walked on the treadmill with my pump hooked up. I finished the treatment on July 1 and they wanted to wait 8 weeks to do the surgery. I wanted this thing out of me and scheduled the surgery for 5 weeks after treatment had ceased. I was operated on at Johns Hopkins by one of the top Thoracic surgeons in the country. Before the operation the radiation oncologist told me he would be pleased if the tumor had shrunk by half. Following the surgery the surgeon came to see me. I asked him how large the tumor was....he told me there was no tumor left...it had been completely eradicated by the treatment. That happens in fewer than 25% of cases. Just to be sure I underwent 8 weeks of additional chemo. That was tough because i had been weakened by the operation. Anyway, i am 13 months out from the surgery, have had 4 scans and I am cancer free. i have the same cosequences from the surgery that many of you have. Better than the alternative. I share my story because when I was diagnosed i had an 11 to 15% chance of 5 yr. survival. Now, I'm well over 50%. My friends, cancer is treatable and also can be beatable. Keep hope .....ML.