Random ramblings of an Oncology trainee

My life took an interesting turn on Oct 19, 2007 when I was diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer. How roles have changed... A week prior, I was a fellow in Hematology / Medical Oncology seeing patients with cancer. Today, I myself have become a 29 year-old cancer patient. 

I first noticed some mild dysphagia, always with dry food.  I didn't make much of it, but did take some OTC proton pump inhibitors which seemed to help with the symptoms.  A few weeks later I noticed an enlarged Virchow's node (Left supraclavicular node).  I saw a hematologist/oncologist at work who subsequently referred me to an ENT surgeon who performed a needle biopsy on the spot.  Things moved quickly from then.  I got the preliminary pathology results showing a high-grade carcinoma later in the afternoon.  We decided on proceeding with a PET/CT which was done 2 days later.  This showed a Gastro-Esophageal (GE) junction mass with metastatic regional and distant lymph nodes (Left supraclavicular).  The following day, I had a EGD/EUS for the definitive diagnosis.  This showed a partially obstructing grade 4 adenocarcinoma of the GE junction.   

Met with a Medical Oncologist, a Radiation Oncologist and a Thoracic Surgeon.  As the cancer has metastasized to a distant lymph node, we decided to start on chemotherapy first. The chemo regimen is EOX (Epirubicin, Oxaliplatin and Xeloda) every 3 weeks, Xeloda is given as pills twice daily. The plan is to get a few cycles of chemo, if there is a good response with no further spread of the cancer, one would then consider chemo/radiation followed possibly by surgery.

I am currently on my 3rd cycle of chemotherapy.  My journey with cancer will be chronicled on www.caringbridge.org/visit/towshungtan 

This blog will likely be inactive for now.  For now, I have stopped seeing patients and is currently on 'research'.