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Esophageal cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the United States with a new case diagnosed every 31 minutes. Fox’s Kimberly Guilfoyle introduces...
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Most esophageal cancer patients don't know they have the disease until it's too late.
One of those patients was my father.
His battle remains the driving force behind my mission to raise awareness because early detection can -- -- lives.
It's the fastest growing cancer in the United States with a new case diagnosed every 31 minutes.
In 1999.
Art Pristina and analysis can New Jersey was one of them got a call from my -- -- ethnicity about a sitting down and said.
Sitting now why what I need to sit down schools which have cancer.
-- -- -- He said the -- I had suffered from -- esophageal reflux disease worker for as long as he could remember but he never thought it was anything serious.
Until the day he found -- his years of chronic acid reflux may have cost his cancer.
Doctor Russia Florence was a drastic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York when our became impatient.
The danger with reflux is that a number of patients will be pre disposed to getting something called Barrett's esophagus.
And Barrett's esophagus is a precursor.
To developing.
Esophageal cancer.
Barrett's esophagus isn't the only risk actor others included.
Age gender.
Smoking.
Being overweight.
And drinking alcohol they tell -- an added that we can't know which is 240085.
Days a week and then radiation and -- -- actually period.
And then a seven hour surgery and after all of that I have five to 10% chance of living ideas.
So you sit back and you say well is it worth going through all of that.
Barton knew he was in but I -- is -- and with the help of his wife Jenny decided surgery was his best option.
Surgeons remove the tumors and diseased tissue from art's -- -- surrounding area during an eight hour procedure.
Post surgery.
I felt there was -- need to do something to give something back to the institution did my surgery.
And to the doctors that.
Cause -- to be here today.
Memorial Sloan Kettering patient to patient program mechanics newly diagnosed patients with -- -- to support him throughout their cancer Adam art.
Will routinely spoke all of my patients who act as -- -- cancerous object.
And I found him extremely helpful.
In guiding these patients through the -- surgery an expanded to a point where I now see patients for.
About nine doctors mind surgeons from different institutions.
And over the last ten years have seen over 900 patients when you -- average says patients do you find that they really don't know a lot about disease and what to expect in terms of the treatment plants that doctors are discussing a plan for the most -- yes you find that.
They ovals and on the Internet and literally have been destroyed by the information is gathered from that.
Not realize that wasn't enough information out there about the disease.
So we found a deep south -- -- cancer education foundation to raise awareness and fund research for early detection and treatment.
The ECE -- has funded research and some of the country's leading cancer centers.
And in 2011.
With the help an advisory board members like doctor Lawrence.
They published a guide for patients going through surgery if we can -- -- -- -- -- citizens and states among users of the what we do that's.
For more information or to find out how you can get involved log on to fight EC dot or I'm Kimberly Guilfoyle Fox News.
