Understanding Esophageal Cancer
- Rachel Gorry says her husband, Daniel, thought his esophageal cancer symptoms were just acid reflux. Now, she’s urging others to know the signs of this disease.
- Esophageal cancer can be treated if caught early. The common symptoms like difficulty swallowing, weight loss and heartburn can often mimic other diseases, so it's important to bring any changes to your body up with your doctor.
- The cause of most esophageal cancers is unknown though some risk factors like tobacco use can increase the likelihood of developing this cancer.
Influencer Rachel Gorry says her husband, Daniel, never smoked. He was also in his 20s, so when he started to develop symptoms, the couple didn’t think much of it.
Read MoreEventually, though, Daniel discovered he had stage four esophageal cancer.
"Daniel was so sick, it was torture. It was so draining,” Rachel said. "His type of cancer is called an old man's cancer but it's not- he was 28 when he was diagnosed and 29 when he passed – so that is not an old man cancer.”
But despite the harrowing battle at his feet, Daniel found a way to face it with a good attitude, and sometimes even a laugh.
"Obviously we had sad and down days and some very serious conversations but most of the time we used humor and that helped us through," Rachel said.
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Heartbreakingly, Daniel passed away just 18 months after his diagnosis at age 29.
"I feel very lucky to have known him most of my life. People say to me and I know it that we had a special love,” Rachel said. "I'm very lucky to have had that, and I hold on and treasure that."
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In Daniel’s honor, Rachel is doing her best to fundraise and educate others about esophageal cancer. Specifically, she wants people to be aware of esophageal cancer symptoms, and other cancer symptoms as well.
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"Always go and get checked out if you have any symptoms, like difficulty swallowing, or persistent heartburn,” she said. "Go to the doctor, what is a half hour out of your day. And it is important to know your own body for all cancers, not just esophageal cancer."
Understanding Esophageal Cancer
The esophagus is a tube that goes from the throat to the stomach and plays an important role in your digestive system. When cancerous cells form inside the tissues of this organ, you have esophageal cancer. Overall, this cancer is rare, often difficult to diagnose and more common in American men. Risk factors for esophageal cancer include smoking, alcohol consumption, acid reflux disease and obesity.
Some people confuse esophageal cancer with throat cancer, but they are, in fact, different. The cause of most esophageal cancers is unknown though some risk factors like tobacco use can increase the likelihood of developing this cancer but human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus also known as HPV, is a known cause of throat cancer. Treatment options for esophageal cancer include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Treatment Options for Esophageal Cancer
In a previous conversation about treating esophageal cancer, Dr. Raja Flores, chair of thoracic surgery at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, told SurvivorNet the disease is often diagnosed in the later stages meaning it has already spread to distant parts of the body.
"Of [all the cases diagnosed in the U.S. per year], only about 1,000 get surgery, because the majority of them are identified at such a late stage," he said.
Dr. Brendon Stiles, chief of thoracic surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, previously shared his expertise on this disease with SurvivorNet.
"We know that esophageal cancer is a tough one, it's one of the cancers with one of the lowest cure rates out there," he said. "But like many cancers, if we find it early, we can often treat it effectively. Either with surgery, or surgery and chemotherapy surgery, chemotherapy and radiation sometimes. My message to patients is the same as it is for most cancers, try to get diagnosed early."
Esophageal Cancer: Signs to Look Out For
But why is it often diagnosed so late? One reason could be that its symptoms weight loss, difficulty swallowing and heartburn often mimic that of other diseases, according to Dr. Stiles. Things like heartburn are generally not cause for any serious concern, but it's important to communicate any issues with your doctor. The more proactive you are about your health, the more likely you are to have an early diagnosis if something serious were to arise.
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