The Game Plan

FINALLY!!! It felt like we were playing some sort of mean waiting game after we found out. We just knew what he had but nothing else and no one to give us more information. On January 28th my parents met with the oncologist at MD Anderson. He is the head of the department, best in his field and works at the #1 Cancer Center. You can't beat that! They came up with a plan.

Until recently, esophageal cancer was only treated by surgery and was not incredibly effective. But just in the very recent couple of years they have started using chemotherapy and radiation before surgery and have seen significantly better results.

My dad had the option of proceeding with the chemo, rad & surgical treatment or to participate in a study which has been showing some promising results. The study will randomly pick my dad to either do the traditional treatment of 6 weeks of chemo & radiation, 6 weeks off and then surgery or the new treatment plan of 6 weeks of chemo, 6 weeks off, 6 weeks of chemo and radiation, 6 weeks off and then surgery. He will find out which he gets on February 4th.

My dad is 1 in a million so I am pretty sure he can beat whatever is thrown at him. So, at this point we are hoping to hear what treatment plan he will get. He thinks either will be manageable and will be content with whatever he is randomly chosen for. In participating in this study, he at least gets a shot at the new treatment plan.