I had awful indigestion for two years – but every time I went to the doctors they sent me home and told me to tweak my diet. One finally took a look and found a rare and deadly cancer

An architect who was given a shock cancer diagnosis has revealed the one persistent sign that was ignored for more than two years.

Antoine Vecchiofrom Sydney, suddenly started suffering from “horrible” acid reflux and indigestion in 2021 – but the medication provided by her GP didn’t seem to be working.

He was repeatedly misdiagnosed – with many assuming his discomfort was due to his diet or a bacterial infection.

The 36-year-old began to worry when his excruciating episodes only got worse, and he eventually saw a gastroenterologist in December 2022 for an endoscopy and colonoscopy.

Anthony was devastated to discover a tumor at the lower junction of his esophageal tube.

“I was at my lowest point between the day of discovery and the consultation appointment. I had no self-esteem, I felt depressed, tired, upset and I cried a lot,” Anthony told FEMAIL.

An architect who received a shock cancer diagnosis has revealed the one persistent sign that was ignored for more than two years.

“I didn’t eat much and I didn’t sleep well either. When I was able to consult the doctor for the biopsy result, it was confirmed that I had a malignant cancerous tumor cell.

Anthony was born with profound and severe hearing loss and struggled throughout his life with various health issues like asthma.

“I had problems connecting with family and peers due to my hearing loss and spent most of my life single until I reached my early 30s.

“My childhood and adolescence were really difficult because I didn’t hear anyone and I was never a great student or a good friend for anything.

“I’m really lucky to have a supportive family. I don’t know where I would be without them or how I would have gotten through my cancer diagnosis.”

But Anthony is not the only one in his family who has had to endure this debilitating illness.

“Romina and I had been dating for almost two years when I proposed to her in December 2020.

“We had planned to celebrate our engagement, but had to cancel it after finding out my mother-in-law had been diagnosed with aggressive gallbladder cancer.

“She sadly succumbed to this terrible disease and died after courageously battling it for six months.”

The 36-year-old began to worry when his excruciating episodes only got worse, and he eventually saw a gastroenterologist in December 2022 for an endoscopy and colonoscopy.

Anthony was devastated to discover a tumor at the lower junction of his esophageal tube.

Anthony revealed that dealing with this profound loss also impacted how he viewed his own cancer journey and couldn’t help but draw parallels between the two situations.

“Luckily, my tumor was localized and could therefore be treated. I was really lucky that it didn’t spread to other parts of my body. »

Esophageal cancer usually does not present any symptoms of concern and does not manifest any negative impact on health until the disease has reached stage three or four.

“According to the surgeons and other health specialists I have consulted, it is rare for a young person to develop esophageal cancer, as it is more common in people over 50 who have a history of excessive smoking, alcohol consumption and poor diet.

“I was never the most active person growing up, but I exercised several times a week and never indulged in drinking or fast food.”

Anthony began treatment in January 2023 and completed 23 cycles of radiotherapy and five cycles of chemotherapy in five weeks.

Anthony shared that the doctors and nurses at his treatment center have been kind and patient throughout his recovery journey and helped him move forward.

Anthony began treatment in January 2023 and completed 23 cycles of radiotherapy and five cycles of chemotherapy in five weeks.

He experienced several difficult side effects like tiredness, tiredness, nausea and incontinence.

“It was really hard to stay positive during treatment, my family and my job were the only things that kept me going,” he said.

Anthony underwent a six-hour surgery at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney, where two-thirds of his oesophageal tube and the upper part of his stomach were removed.

“I remember waking up and being shocked by the huge scar,” he said. “The lymph nodes around my stomach were removed as a precaution, and my stomach was reconstructed and moved to connect to the upper esophageal tube.”

He couldn’t eat or drink anything for two weeks and had to be fed through tubes going in and out of his body.

The costs of specialists, hospitals and other non-work expenses were too high to be covered by donations and savings. Anthony therefore had to return to work part-time weeks after his operation.

Anthony underwent a six-hour surgery at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse in Sydney, where two-thirds of his oesophageal tube and the upper part of his stomach were removed.

“The first few days were terrible, I couldn’t even get up from the hospital bed and walk around the room.”

Anthony shared that the doctors and nurses at his treatment center were kind and patient throughout his road to recovery and helped him move forward.

“I had to go back to work part-time shortly after the surgery because we couldn’t afford not to work,” he sadly shared.

The costs of specialists, hospitals, surgeries and other non-work expenses were too high to be covered by donations and savings.

“I still have reflux and indigestion, but it’s not as bad as it used to be,” he said. “It’s hard for your mind not to go to the worst places after everything I’ve been through.”

Anthony’s cancer journey is not yet over and he is currently undergoing regular check-ups, appointments, scans and pathology tests to monitor his oesophageal tube and stomach.

You can make a donation to help cover Anthony’s treatment costs here.