A few days ago I posted about Cathy's EC Cafe. It's a webpage designed to help those diagnosed with esophageal cancer. In that post I mentioned one of the stories I liked on the webpage written by a six year esophageal cancer survivor named Barry Bokhaut. I decided to email Barry and talk to him about his experience and any advice he might have for those diagnosed.

I think Barry's story is inspirational and can help others newly diagnosed know that survival is possible even though the statistics look grim. According to the American Cancer Society 13,770 of the 14,550 estimated cases of esophageal cancer in 2006 will die of their disease. At the current time only less than 20 percent of patients survive five years.

Barry answered the question as to why esphageal cancer is so hard to cure. "Esophageal cancer's low survival rates is in a large part due to the fact that the symptoms are very benign, and the disease is often very advanced before doctors properly diagnose it. Far too many people are told by their doctors that they are suffering from heart burn or indigestion, and are given antacids. By the time the difficultly in swallowing manifests, and the doctors get around to a full diagnostic workup, the disease is very established and extremely difficult to deal with, as it spreads quickly."

Some symptoms of esophageal cancer are:
Heartburn
Difficulty swallowing
Inability to swallow solid foods (eventually liquids also)
Pain with swallowing
Food sticking in esophagus
Weight loss
Regurgitation of undigested food
Vomiting blood or passing old blood with bowel movements


As you can see with these symptoms that the disease can be very hard to diagnose since heartburn is a common ailment and that once the other symptoms start its already at the advanced stages.

Barry's advice to newly diagnosed patients is "The need to have a positive attitude, knowing that published statistics state you have a very little chance of survival. (The statistics provided by the Canadian Cancer Society show that esophageal cancer patients have less than a zero chance of surviving more than five years). Statistics lie, and there are survivors - I'm in my sixth year"

Barry says that "If you are going to survive, you have to drop what you are doing, and focus on getting the treatment without delay. This involves being very assertive and demanding front of the line treatment. If you sit back and wait, you aren't going to make it. The need to go at your cancer all out, to pull out all the stops and take the most aggressive treatment that doctors will allow. Anything short of that will likely not result in a positive resolution (the nice way of saying death)"

Barry has also survived a heart attack and has been left with bone damage from his treatments for cancer. He is very active with the Canadian Cancer Society's Peer Support group. He provides counseling to newly diagnosed patients, as well as those that have been dealing with the disease for awhile. Barry is called to counsel patients all across Canada. He has helped these people cope and make the right decisions on their treatment. Barry says that it is such a rewarding experience for him and helps him see his experience in a positive light.

Most of all, though, Barry would like to highlight how wonderful life is, and how great it is to still be around.