[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/09\/niamhs-story\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/09\/niamhs-story\/","headline":"Niamh’s Story: Life-Saving Surgery to Treat Her Esophageal Cancer","name":"Niamh’s Story: Life-Saving Surgery to Treat Her Esophageal Cancer","description":"After her cancer diagnosis, Niamh underwent a minimally invasive esophagectomy performed by Ryan Levy, MD, chief of thoracic surgery at UPMC Passavant.","datePublished":"2021-09-14","dateModified":"2023-04-17","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/pulmonology-regions","name":"Pulmonology","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/services\/pulmonology-regions","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/pulmonology\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/ebola-need-know.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/ebola-need-know.jpg","height":327,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/09\/niamhs-story\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z","UPMC Stories"],"wordCount":860,"articleBody":"Niamh P., a former program coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, struggled with acid reflux for years. Despite taking medicine to control her heartburn and avoiding certain foods, the problem persisted. When she started having problems swallowing in late 2019, her primary care doctor, Yaqin Xia, MD, recommended an endoscopy.The endoscopy showed Niamh had Barrett’s esophagus \u2014 a precancerous condition caused by repeated exposure to stomach acid. But her gastroenterologist, Kevin McGrath, MD, also spotted a suspicious area near her stomach and called her back for a second endoscopy and biopsy.\u201cIt was esophageal cancer,” says Niamh, 56. \u201cHe told me I needed surgery \u2014 and sooner, rather than later.”She and her husband, Michael, began searching for the best available treatment for her esophageal cancer. After researching and talking to people they knew in the medical community, she made an appointment with Ryan Levy, MD, chief of thoracic surgery at UPMC Passavant (pictured below).Combining Technology and Surgical ExpertiseAt UPMC Passavant\u2013McCandless, highly skilled thoracic surgeons are using leading-edge technology to perform delicate, minimally invasive, and life-saving surgery.The standard treatment for esophageal cancer is an esophagectomy \u2014 removal of the esophagus and uppermost part of the stomach. “It is the most complex thoracic oncologic reconstruction that is done,” said Dr. Levy, who see patients in Cranberry Township, Erie, McCandless, Seneca, and Sewickley.Surgeons at UPMC pioneered the next level of esophageal cancer treatment with minimally invasive esophagectomy, which results in:Fewer complications.Less pain.A shorter hospital stay than a traditional open procedure.\u201cIt’s a very unique situation,” says Dr. Levy. \u201cWe do more esophagectomies a year at UPMC Passavant than many major academic hospitals. It’s a testament to the team we’ve built \u2014 and the results.”Life-Saving OperationAlthough Niamh was already aware of the surgery required, she appreciated the time Dr. Levy took to explain the procedure, the complexity, and the risks involved.\u201cHe was very clear about the course of action needed. It would be life-changing, but life-saving, surgery,” Niamh says. \u201cThere was no other alternative. I had to accept it, trust him, and have faith that everything would go OK \u2014 and Dr. Levy delivered.”In mid-January 2020 \u2014 just one month after her cancer diagnosis \u2014 Niamh underwent a minimally invasive esophagectomy performed by Dr. Levy and assisted by Nicholas Baker, MD, another thoracic surgeon at UPMC Passavant (pictured at left). An ear, nose, and throat specialist also was present to monitor the nerves in Niamh’s neck during surgery.Using a dozen dime-sized incisions to access the cavity in her abdomen, chest, and neck, Dr. Levy removed 75% of Niamh’s esophagus, 25% of her stomach, and 37 lymph nodes. He then rebuilt her esophagus with the remaining stomach tissue (leaving a small reservoir to process food) and reconnected the \u201cnew” esophagus in her neck area. The entire surgery took about 10 hours.Postoperative Care for Esophageal CancerNiamh spent the next several days in the intensive care unit (ICU) at UPMC Passavant, where she was cared for by a pulmonary critical care team of experienced doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, and nutritionists.\u201cWith an esophagectomy, every detail matters,” Dr. Levy explains. \u201cThis team understands the needs of our patients. It’s why we have such good results.”According to Niamh, her postoperative care was difficult. But she was thankful to have such wonderful support from Dr. Levy and his team.\u201cThe ICU staff was fantastic. They had me up and walking the day after surgery. They took care of my every need.”Additional Treatment for Esophageal CancerNiamh meets with Dr. Levy and Dr. Baker at UPMC Passavant.Initially, the preoperative PET scans and CT scans indicated Niamh’s cancer had been caught at stage I. A closer look at the 37 lymph nodes Dr. Levy removed showed one to be cancerous \u2014 indicating a stage III cancer. That meant she would need chemotherapy.\u201cHer case illustrates why it’s important to do an aggressive lymph node dissection,” says Dr. Levy. \u201cWithout it, she may have ended up with the wrong treatment plan.”A month and a half after her surgery, Niamh began six months of chemotherapy treatments at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. She’ll have follow-up CT scans every four months for the first three years, then every six months in years four and five. Her most recent scan showed no sign of cancer.\u201cSo far, everything looks good,” says Dr. Levy. \u201cHer long-term prognosis is very good.”The Road to RecoveryAccording to Niamh, her ongoing recovery has been encouraging. She had to relearn how to swallow and adapt to a smaller stomach \u2014 eating smaller meals and avoiding high-fat foods. Her voice is growing stronger, she has started to sing again, and her Irish lilt has returned.Seven months after the surgery, Niamh’s daughter smiled and said, \u201cToday is the first day you sound like yourself.”\u201cI can’t say enough good things about Dr. Levy. I feel very lucky to have had him as my surgeon,” says Niamh. \u201cHe and his team saved my life, and I’m very grateful.”Learn more about the esophageal and lung surgery services offered at UPMC Passavant."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2021","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"09","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/\/09\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Niamh’s Story: Life-Saving Surgery to Treat Her Esophageal Cancer","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2021\/09\/niamhs-story\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]