EMR and PDT treatments for a cure are only for early stage Esophageal Cancer. (Stage 0-1)
My husband was diagnosed with Stage 1 Esophageal Cancer May 2006. His cancer was most likely caused by Acid Reflux (Barrett’s Esophagus). He was scheduled for surgery to remove his esophagus and part of his stomach in June 2006 at the recommendation of his gastroenterologist. This surgery is the standard in the US for esophageal cancer. This is the most difficult surgery aside from pancreases surgery and is not an easy surgery for the patient. A very qualified surgeon, one that does 100s of these a year should be selected.
I did research online and found EMR is the standard for early esophageal cancer in Japan. Japan detects early esophageal cancer more often than the US, as they do routine upper GI tests. In the US we don’t usually find it early. In Japan EMR has the same rate of success as surgery for cancer contained to the mucosa but does not have the risks of the surgery.
(EMR) Endoscopic Mucosal Resection is much less evasive and does not require surgery. It basically clips off the cancer from the esophagus wall with a tool attached to an endoscope. But the cancer needs to be in the first lining of the esophagus – mucosa.
I found a few hospitals in the US that use this treatment for early esophageal cancer. At that time, John Hopkins and the Mayo Clinic were the two top hospitals for this treatment. Now, I hear there are more top hospitals taking this approach.
My husband had the ERM procedure at Johns Hopkins, with Dr. Canto. We live in California and traveled to Baltimore. He also had another additional procedure (PDT) Photo Dynamic Therapy to just make sure we got all the cancer. This procedure requires an injection with a chemical "Photofrin". This chemical is activated by light to become a cancer-fighting agent. For 2 days the Photorin collects in the cancerous areas and dissipates from the other areas of the body. (Except his skin) The doctor then goes down his throat with a laser endoscope and exposed the areas of his esophagus that may sill have cancer or pre-cancerous cells with the laser light. It basically burns off the lining of the esophagus. It was very painful for a few weeks and he was photosensitive for about 3 months. He had to cover up from head to toe, as he could not be exposed to any outside light, direct or indirect. He then gradually could have indirect/direct exposure to sunlight. Indoor lighting was okay. But at night, after the sun down, he was a free man.
After the PDT treatments, he needed 7-8 dilations. Because of the scare tissue from the PDT, he developed some strictures. This requires the doctors to go down with a balloon and open up the area. The sooner you notice a limitation in getting food down and get in to have a dilation, the less you will have to do. We waited a while before we took action.
Three months after these procedures my husband was tested and was CANCER FREE. And by this time he was feeling good and back to normal. He had tests every three month the first year then every 6 months the second year and the third year it will be annually. He has been CANCER FREE for over a year and half. He looks and feels great. He is taking better care of himself and we are grateful we had the options we did.
I really think my husband would of died from the surgery even though he is young 53 and looks healthy. One of the major risks in surgery if a heart attack and we found out 7 months after all his cancer treatment that he had a 95% blockage in his heart. And he is just not the type that could handle being on a feeding tube and having the other complications that come with that surgery.
Another person from this board that we keep in contact with also went to Dr. Canto and had EMR. He is Cancer Free, as well.
Our Doctor at Johns Hopkins has done a 10-year study on the combination of the ERM and PDT. Her finding has these treatments at a 93% CURE rate. This includes pre-cancerous patients.
If you would like any more information, please contact me through this board.
Wishing you the Best!
Kim
NOTE: THIS IS FOR EARLY EC. 0-1 STAGE- ONLY PRESENT IN THE MUCOSA - Limited presence in SUBMUCOS