Bradley Dreyfus knew something was wrong when he felt what he described as “an ice pick” in the center of his chest one day in the fall of 2024.
“My dad died of a heart attack, so I knew I had to get this checked,” the 74-year-old Brookhaven resident recalled.
Brad’s first step was to see a cardiologist: Dr. Searle Videlefsky at CardioVascular Group. But after a thorough series of tests over two weeks, Dr. Videlefsky concluded there was nothing wrong with Brad’s heart.
“They said I have the heart of a 50-year-old and that I need to get an upper endoscopy,” Brad shared.
He made an appointment with Dr. Luis Galvez of Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, who Brad had already been seeing for several years for his colonoscopies. After the endoscopy, Dr. Galvez informed Brad that he strongly suspected esophageal cancer.
“He sent me directly to the cancer unit at Northside Hospital Atlanta for another endoscopy where they could also remove a sample for biopsy,” Brad said.
Dr. Pradeep Jolly, an oncologist with Georgia Cancer Specialists, confirmed the diagnosis: stage 3 esophageal cancer. The tumor was 19 millimeters and located just above his stomach.
It was a shock to Brad, who had no family history of cancer and no prior health issues.
“I’m a pretty healthy guy,” Brad reflected. “I go to the health club and lift weights, but I’ve always been a heavy drinker. My drink of choice was tequila with habanero peppers. I may have scorched my esophagus with spicy tequila.”
Dr. Jolly prescribed the FLOT chemotherapy regimen, which included four chemotherapy drugs delivered together in four sessions over three months. Each treatment included a several-hour infusion and a pump that he wore home for 24 hours.
Brad tolerated the chemo very well, and his doctors attributed it to his overall good health. After just three treatments, the tumor had shrunk to only 3 millimeters. Dr. Jolly was thrilled with the response, and the next step was a nine-hour surgery to remove the reduced tumor.
Due to the diet and activity restrictions, it was the post-surgery recovery that Brad found to be the most challenging aspect of his cancer treatment. After a week of nothing but ice chips, he graduated to a liquid and soft food diet for two months.
“I lived on egg drop soup to get protein, and my favorite food was vanilla ice cream,” he exclaimed.
Once recovered, Brad had to have four more sessions of FLOT chemotherapy to ensure no cancer cells were left behind.
Brad remains cancer free, and he credits his girlfriend, LuAnne, for her incredible and stable support throughout a challenging year.
“I didn’t let any of it get me down,” he said. “This was a setback, but I felt confident I’d be fine. I trusted my doctors to use their knowledge and skills to get in there and fix this!”
It was that positive mindset that helped him cope with his diagnosis.
“I kept working and going to the health club as much as I could,” he said, adding, “Dr. Jolly encouraged to me keep doing everything I felt able to do.”
Northside Hospital has always been Brad’s choice for his health care, and Dr. Jolly still monitors his scans and bloodwork.
“Dr. Jolly and all of my doctors were amazing; truly the best of the best,” he said. “I’m lucky to have gotten these doctors. They went above and beyond together … to give me the best care possible.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT ESOPHAGEAL CANCER CARE AT NORTHSIDE.
*The health story shared here is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Patients should consult with their own physician before making medical decisions.
