Grandfather of 15 Gets a Second Chance With Life-Changing Surgery for Esophageal Cancer at Mount Sinai
Aldo Belluzzi, 73, was used to having a busy life in retirement. He liked spending time with his large family—especially his 15 grandchildren—and would often be seen at their sports events and plays. Aldo went with the family on a summer vacations on the Jersey shore and often met with friends and family for celebrations and home-cooked Italian meals.
He had few health problems. But over the years, minor heartburn and acid reflux had progressed into Barrett’s esophagus, a condition where the lining of the esophagus is damaged by stomach acid. In rare cases, Barrett’s esophagus can lead to esophageal cancer. This is what led Aldo to innovative and expert care from Raja M. Flores, MD, Professor and Chair of the Thoracic Surgery Department and Director of the Mount Sinai Esophageal Cancer Center.
Aldo knew he had to monitor the condition and go for regular checkups with his doctor in Westchester. By the fall of 2021, he was starting to experience more severe symptoms. “I started having regurgitation issues and dizzy spells and becoming severely dehydrated. After the last episode, my local doctor sent me to the ER at the nearest hospital. The doctor there saw something that he wasn’t happy with and told me to follow up with my gastroenterologist.”
An endoscopy exam showed that Aldo’s condition had gotten worse, and his gastroenterologist arranged for him to have an endoscopic mucosal resection, a procedure that removes abnormal cells from the esophageal lining. During the procedure at a hospital outside of New York City, they found that Aldo’s condition had developed into cancer that needed more specialized care. The doctor recommended a few hospitals in Manhattan, and Aldo chose Mount Sinai. “That's how I got Dr. Flores’ number,” says Aldo.
In early January 2022, he went for a consultation with Dr. Flores, who recommended an esophagectomy. This is the most common surgical treatment for esophageal cancer and involves removing part of the esophagus. “It’s your decision, of course, but I feel strongly we can be done with this,” said Dr. Flores, a world leader in thoracic surgery. Dr. Flores and his team have pioneered a new approach to this procedure that minimizes trauma and speeds up recovery. In many cases, it reduces the need for chemotherapy after surgery.
Dr. Flores arranged for the procedure to take place in three weeks. His staff scheduled all of Aldo’s pre-operative care. “They made it so stress-free for me. You have to go down for all these pretests—PET scans, CAT scans, heart doctors—and they set up every single thing for me. Everything was located within a couple of blocks. Every time I went to an appointment, it was coordinated perfectly.”
Aldo’s cancer had spread beyond the lining of his esophagus. That meant Dr. Flores needed to remove part of the stomach, as well as much of the esophagus. Fortunately, the procedure went smoothly—and Aldo wouldn’t need any chemotherapy or radiotherapy. But he would have to make significant changes to his lifestyle, to adapt to his smaller stomach. Fortunately, his specialists were supportive, positive—and honest.
“Every one of the staff, whether it was a nutritionist, a physical therapist, no matter who I dealt with, they were all honest with me,” Aldo says. “They told me, ‘You will have to eat more frequently and eat less.’ Every single thing they told me has come true. But they were so positive about everything, and even when I was at my worst point, they were always like ‘You're doing good, understand that what you just went through was a major surgery and you're already walking around.’ You need to hear that type of stuff; it gives you strength and hope.”
Six months later, Aldo was continuing to regain strength and adjust to new eating habits. “They told me that after six months I would start to adjust to the eating habits, and it's just this last month that I can honestly say that I'm really getting accustomed to working with my body.”
“I am getting back into the swing of things. I just came back from the Jersey Shore. Every year we have a big family vacation and try to have all the grandchildren down there. These are the things that bring joy into my life. For a while, I had to say no. I had to miss my niece's wedding and one of my nephew's weddings. But every single person in the family told me, ‘Dad, you're doing great!’ I even went golfing twice. I've been really given a second shot at life,” says Aldo.
Aldo highly recommends Dr. Flores and his specialist team at the Mount Sinai Esophageal Cancer Center. “I would strongly suggest it. If someone was teetering on a decision going back and forth and not sure, I would tell them, ‘You're going get the best of the best treatment.’”