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Alan Gorman was diagnosed with signet cell adenocarcinoma of the stomach in March 2014 at age 50. Symptoms had begun about 7 months earlier with chest pain. Initial X-rays and blood tests appeared normal, and acid-reflux treatment was started.
As the symptoms worsened, Alan developed difficulty swallowing, fatigue, and severe weight loss, falling from 230 to 170 pounds. Alan’s wife encouraged further testing, which led to the cancer diagnosis.
Alan completed 5 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 rounds of radiation, followed by partial esophagogastrectomy. Part of the small bowel also had to be removed because radiation had damaged blood vessels. When lymph-node involvement was found, Alan began further chemotherapy.
Alan encouraged other people to trust persistent symptoms and advocate for additional testing when something felt seriously wrong.
This is a lay summary of an account first published by No Stomach For Cancer. Read the original in full
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These are lay summaries of published cancer stories, for information only. No two cancers behave the same way, and nothing here predicts your own diagnosis or replaces advice from your oncology team. Read the full disclaimer