When I started having difficulty swallowing in July 2019, I had no idea that there was anything wrong. As things got worse over the next couple of months, I went to my doctor who referred me for an gastroscopy.
Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with locally advanced squamous cell oesophageal cancer. This diagnosis came out of the blue - I didn't fit the typical oesophageal cancer patient profile, being female, in my early 50’s, a non-smoker and very moderate drinker.
Identification
I was referred to the Royal Surrey, under the care of the upper GI team, and my treatment was a curative pathway of chemoradiotherapy. By this time, my dysphagia was getting worse and I was fitted with a jejunostomy feeding tube. Within days, my food intake was reduced to liquids only and, just after Christmas 2019, I was unable to swallow anything.
My chemotherapy treatment, which was initially cisplatin and capecitabine, was changed to carboplatin and taxol (paclitaxel) and, for the last five weeks, I had daily radiotherapy as well. My active treatment finished in the middle of February 2020 and then we had to wait for the inflammation in my oesophagus to calm down.
At the beginning of June 2020, I had a follow up gastroscopy which failed so I had to return for a second one with dilatation a week later. Due to COVID restrictions, I was told, over the telephone, that my cancer hadn't gone and I was offered the chance of salvage surgery. This involved a total oesophagectomy which I had in August 2020.
Life after treatment...
Treatment
After the surgery, I had a series of complications along with a lot of anxiety that had to be dealt with. But, I am so lucky because I have a super supportive family, I have wonderful friends and I had, and still have, the most amazing team looking after me at the Royal Surrey.
I consider myself to be so lucky to have had my treatment at the Royal Surrey - the support and expertise available there is the best, and the upper GI team, especially, go above and beyond for their patients. They have my unending gratitude for everything they have done for me.
