Stomach surgery

My husband was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer a year ago and has been undergoing chemotherapy every week since.  He has responded quite well with no real side effects and the tumors, one on the wall of the stomach, and the other outside, have shrunk a little, the tumors in his neck and liver show no active signs at all.

Our oncologist has spoken to the surgeon, who now believes that it is time for my husband to have his stomach, (we are not sure yet how much of it) removed.  From everything I have read about this surgery the recovery and after effects are just dreadful.  Could anyone who has had successs with this surgery and could offer me advise please help me.  We have had several people saying that quality, not quantity of life is more important and he should think seriously about this surgery, this infuriates me and makes my husband very nervous, as we were under the impression that this was his only chance of survival.

I would also like to know if anyone can tell me, if this is ethical, of whom they would recommend as the top surgeon to do this surgery.  We live in LA but we are prepared to travel anywhere we need to for this.   

Thank you for any advise anyone can give me

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I was diagnosed with stage IV gastric/esophageal cancer in Jan 2007. 

I was treated for a year.  Halfway through I had surgery, an Iver-Lewis transhiatal partial gastrectomy/esphagectomy at Stanford. It is really two surgeries for the price of one.  What a deal.  The abdominal surgery was to disect out the stomach and as much of the esophagus as they could reach.  They also removed 22 lymph nodes.  The right side chest surgery was to resect out the GE mass, most of the stomach and the lower part of the esophagus.  Then they reattached the two ends.   

I had an epidural catheter and art line for pain meds in the hospital. I was discharged after 9 days.  I had vicodin elixor at home for about 4-5 wks.  Recovery was about 6 wks.

I didn't have any problems swallowing afterwards.  I had to eat small meals frequently and initially had some dumping syndrome.

The abdominal surgery never bothered me.  The thoracotomy was painful because they removed my sixth rib and broke most of the other ribs on my right side in order to have enough room to do the resection and anastamosis. 

I am glad I had it done....

Tom

on 7/7/09 i had surgery for esophageal cancer. surgeon removed 1/2 stomach and 2/3 esohagus and then joined both together. i would highly recommned Dr Donald Low of Virginia Mason in Seattle Washington. i was out of hospital in a week, no pain no complications lost 125 cc of blood in a 6 1/2 hour operation. the best way to contact him would be via his RN sonia kuntz at "Sonia Kunz" <Sonia.Kunz@vmmc.org>, she is awesome at getting all the appointments together.

i also hear very good recommendations for Dr DeMester at the University of Southern California but never got to "interview" him as i decided on Dr Low.

good luck,

Thank you for your reply I will look up the doctor here in California.  How are you doing now are you able to eat okay?  I am so glad to know that the surgery went well as my husband is very nervous about the surgery.

I had a total gastrectomy along with the removal of my spleen and 1/3 of my pancreas last year.  To sum it up, 19 months later I am doing fantastic and feel almost back to normal except for being 40lbs lighter.  But, it was a brutal challenge with every step, so not easy at all.  I spent 24 days at Stanford with almost half in the ICU because I sprung a leak in the connection of my esophagus and intestine after 2 days.  They reopened me and fixed the leak but ended up being sedated and on a breathing tube for a week.  Really tough for my wife to see as im only 39 and have a small daughter.  I will say that it took awhile to get through the change in eating habits but after finally getting unhooked from the pain meds that were really taking me down, I have gained 30lbs and eat anything I want.  Pizza, burgers, mexican food etc.  I was just in mexico drinking tequila shots and eating fish tacos, so can't be too bad.  Doc says I should probably cut back on those activities but at least I feel good enough to do them.

I had the chief oncology surgeon at stanford remove my stomach, Dr. Jeff Norton, while Dr. Richard Whyte did the esophageal removal and connection.  I felt like I had the best team and the results are good so far.

Best of luck to you and family,

Steve

Thank you for your info.  Could you please let me know if your cancer had spread initially or if it had just stayed in the stomach.