<human>: my mom is in stage 4 esophagas cancer . she has a big mass behind her panceras and a tumor in her esophogas, and a trace in her lymphoid. how much time does she have? they are going to do chemo to try to shrink the tumor in her esophogas so she can eat..
<bot>: Hi, Thanks for writing in. Sorry to know about stage 4 cancer esophagus in your mother. Unfortunately the tumor has grown to a large size and the mass behind the pancreas is a lymph node. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are the treatments recommended. Surgery is not possible in stage 4 cancer. If the tumor has grown in to the lumen of esophagus then putting a bare metallic stent might open up the lumen, but this is only a temporary solution. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used in many patients to reduce the size of tumor. The life expectancy of stage 4 cancer is about 2 years from the date of detection and with proper response to treatment and good supportive care most patients can survive. Please do not worry.