Is your brother open to getting a second opinion? That all sounds alittle fatalistic on the part of his doctor.
Is his doctor an oncologist/specialist? Does he understand esophageal cancer? Is he affiliated with a cancer group of some kind?
How hard it must be for you to get this info second hand..is there a way to open the lines of communication with your brother directly? Is there a way you can approach him by letting him know you are doing research and that you want to assist him in anyway you can?
It is so hard to get someone to open up when a thing as terrifying as cancer, especially this form, slams into their lives. My husband closed down the first few months and I slowly was able to open him up to talk about what was going on in his mind. He expressed he felt if he didn't talk about it it wasn't happening, and he was stll in control of his life.
My heart goes out to you as I know you must be worried and frightened to lose him.
Take care and I hope you can get more information,
why MD