
Complaining About Chest Pain And Difficulty Swallowing. Diagnosed Upper Tract Euretherial Carcenoma. Suggest Best Remedy?

During his hospital stay (he is actually still in the hospital but this Wednesday we have a mtg with the staff, unit nurse, some doctors etc regarding the next steps) my dad has had a ct-scan of his chest and it would appear that the lymph nodes are still growing at a rate of about half a cm per every 6 weeks. It is referred to as mediastinal lymph nodes in his chest. I think the lymph nodes are around 3 to 3.5 cm (they have not done a bronchyoscopy due to the high risk factor according to the doctor) I just spoke with my dad's medical oncologist who says that he is definitely not fit enough for chemo and doesnt feel like a crio therapy or crioabration is the solution since it is too deep and is not isolated to a specific node but several in the chest area. Another Dr. that saw my dad was a little more optimistic than the rest. He looked at his charts and couldn't understand why he looked this bad. He said that the lymph nodes in his chest are growing and there is cancer there, however; the rest of his body is ok. He blood tests are ok, the cancer has not spread anywhere else whatsoever.
What I am seeking are some suggestions. Some alternatives, or other procedure that may be feasible. I am seeking something more specific such as including names of Doctors if there is a specific procedure only certain doctors do. So their contact info if possible.
I Find most of the Doctors here in Calgary to be doom and gloom but I am not ready to give up on my father. I do not know if this should go to surgical oncologist or medical. I will select surgical and hopefully that will go to the right person.
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I am sorry to listen about your father's condition.
Probably he has been suffering from transitional cell carcinoma of renal pelvis.
The treatment of this disease is not very clear. In early stage radical surgery including kidney and ureter removal is the treatment of choice. Probably that surgery has been already done. Problem is the possibility of relapse. Most of the time local relapse and distant relapse occur very commonly.
Relapsed TCC renal pelvis can also be treated by surgery depending the site and number of metastasis but in case of multiple metastatic deposit surgery may not be an effective alternative.
Chemotherapy is the only option, radiation has not proven benefit. But chemotherapy needs an acceptable general condition of patient.
Mainly the chemotherapy used was M-VAC regime but single agent cisplatin also has shown some results. Phase III trials are going on gemcitabine, cisplatin with bevacizumab. But no clear cut treatment guideline is there.
Consult your medical oncologist for trying some chemotherapy if at all possible.
Hope I have clarified your queries. I will be available for follow up.


I was aware of the above since my oncologist said that it would have to be chemo and offered no other option.
Actually I have tried to mention other option like biologics like bevacizumab.
This is not chemotherapy. Mechanism of action is different. Biologics and chemotherapy together in combination is used in recent trials.
Anyway, sorry to say no effective alternative in this setting is available right now. I have mentioned earlier that particular variety of cancer has bad prognosis. So you have limited option.
Hope I could explain you the disease state and prognosis. I will be available for follow up.

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