I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Silver at the NYC event that OCF had with the Paltrow family. He was aware of his situation and knew that he had about 90 days left. He was unbent, and unwilling to withdrawn from life. He looked tired and thin at the event, but his spirit was strong and enviable. We talked for quite some time, I had the opportunity to share many ideas with him. He was open, at ease, gracious, and in all manner, it was an extraordinary conversation. I was very saddened to hear last night of his passing.

This is a cancer that is on the rise in the US. I too have had an esophageal adenocarcinoma which was found very early, since I was being scoped all the way into my stomach for a possible solution to my chronic GERD, which generates Barrett's esophagus, the precursor cellular changes to the formation of the cancer itself. Luckily for me, I was able to have about 1 inch of my esophagus removed while I was having a fundoplication to tighten the opening of my esophagus to my stomach.

But anyone that has chronic acid reflux or GERD that requires a proton pump inhibitor like Priloc or Nexium to control, should get and endoscope at least annually to look for Barrett's. It is no walk in the park once it gets going, and easily spreads to the surrounding lymph nodes that are of course close to every major organ.