Think may dad has cancer**oesophagus**

[Totallybannanas]

He is 80 this year and he had a camera down his throat today, after having symptoms vomiting, losing voice. Very likely to have cancer of oesophagus. Waiting for biopsy, but due a visit from nurses at home next few days. It doesn't sound good does it. He lives alone and I work full time. I've just left him and sat in the car crying after trying to stay positive with him but trying to process it. . How do families cope with this? My son's 17 and 20 adore him. Telling them will break my heart. I just don't know what I should be doing, how am I going to support him and care for him. I didn't go to the app today, luckily his elderly sister did. The guilt and helplessness is just killing me. I don't think he would have chemo at his age.

I am so sorry to hear this.

I have been in your shoes and it is absolutely earth shattering. If your dad is diagnosed, please take all the advice and options offered by the clinicians and then go home and reflect on everything.

Does your dad have all of his faculties? If he is sharp and following everything, that might make the whole process distressing. Talk through the options. In my expwrience, they are very circumspect about outlook and prognosis depending on treatment options.

Depending on your dad's health and strength, there may be palliative options that focus on improving quality of life and managing symptoms. If nutrition is an issue, that needs to be resolved first - my mum had a rig fitted (similar to a peg) to enable her to take liquid nutrition.

This is a hard and gruelling illness. No two cases are the same, but I am sending you a huge hug. Be there for your dad but make sure you have people who are there for you too. You will need a lot of support x

He might be suitable for radiotherapy treatment. Don’t lose hope.

Thank you, trying to stay positive. Hoping it's treatable and he isn't in too much pain. I just don't want him to suffer.

My dad is a similar age to yours and also has cancer of the oesophagus. He wasn't a suitable candidate for surgery or chemotherapy due to his age/health but had a short course of radiotherapy which had excellent results. Hopefully that may be an option for your dad too.

My Dad had tonsillar cancer so very similar. Excellent advice already from PP.

If he has all his faculties consider arranging a power of attorney while you can. It was useful for us when the radiotherapy treatment made my Dad quite confused.

Big hugs to you

My husband had oesophageal cancer which had spread a little into his stomach and he has been in remission now for over two years.
He wasn’t that much younger than your Dad when diagnosed. They went for a cure because my husband was fit and in good health otherwise. He had 4 sessions of chemo which actually completely got rid of the cancer and then had an op to remove the offending area just to make sure.
Please don’t give up hope. There is so much the medical profession can do nowadays. Thinking of you and wish your Dad the best.

That's amazing. Thank you for the positive stories. Need to stay positive and pray for a miracle 🙏