Brian Bognar's esophageal cancer journey

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[Text on screen: Brian Bognar
Esophageal Cancer Survivor]

Brian Bognar: I was with my family in Chicago in October of '23. One night at a hotel, I had a bad episode of acid reflux, followed by difficulty swallowing. I knew it was somewhat serious. About four months later, I was seeing my gastroenterologist and I told him about the episode that I had. He took it seriously enough that he performed an endoscopy. The doctor took a biopsy. The biopsy came back as testing positive for esophageal cancer. I had a friend whose brother had died of esophageal cancer, so it was scary for me.

Yeah, my wife and I decided that we would travel to several institutions to find out more about what I was facing. I needed to go through chemotherapy, I needed radiation, which was going to be followed by the removal of my esophagus and upper part of my stomach. I think that's when things really hit home was when I knew they were going to have to remove a vital organ as my best chance for survival. 

Ultimately, we decided to go with Ohio State. When we stepped into Dr. D'Souza's office, we were immediately welcomed. We felt very valued, he was very genuine, and we felt that our agenda and what we were trying to find out was taken very seriously.

[Text on screen: Desmond D'Souza, MD
Thoracic Surgeon
The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute]

Desmond D'Souza, MD: So Brian presented with what we often refer to as a locally advanced esophageal cancer, but then had progressed beyond the inner lining of the esophagus. Survival rates, despite modern medicine and advances in surgery, is only about 25% to 30%.

Brian Bognar: What was very, very different about Dr. D'Souza, however, was how the surgery was going to be performed. Dr. D'Souza recommended a process through robotic surgery. We had no doubt in our mind that Dr. D'Souza, The James and The Ohio State Medical Center, was going to be my best chance for a successful surgery.

Desmond D'Souza, MD: That operation involves removal of about two-thirds of Brian's esophagus and about a third of the upper part of his stomach. Brian spent about five to six days in the hospital, and he left on his post-operative day six, just in time to get home for Thanksgiving.

Brian Bognar: To say that my surgery was a success I think is an understatement. I walked out of the hospital a week later feeling better than I thought I would ever feel after something like this.

Desmond D'Souza, MD: Brian is cancer-free, and we intend on keeping him that way, yeah.

Brian Bognar: One of the things that Ohio State was great at was maintaining my hope and positivity. I walked out of Ohio State knowing that I won.

[Text on screen: The James
The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
For more information visit: cancer.osu.edu]

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