Andy Goram

Former Rangers and Scotland goalkeeper Andy Goram has revealed he has oesophageal cancer and been given about six months To Live .

Goram, 58, told the he turned Down chemotherapy as it would only extend his life by three months.

Two People who have been treated for the disease, sometimes known as a " silent killer" have spoken to Bbc Scotland about their experience.

Paul Sinclair, from Kirkcaldy in Fife, started to experience what " felt like wind at the bottom of my rib-cage" in September 2020 and had a sensation that he had " eaten too much in one mouthful".

" I ignored it like Everyone Else does, " he told BBC Radio's. " It just felt like I had wind. I was eating fine, I had no pain.

" It was just an annoying niggle at the bottom of my rib-cage. It went on for about a week-and-a-half And Then I thought 'I'm going to see someone about this'.

" I went to The Doctor and he sent me straight for an endoscopy. That confirmed I had a tumour at The Top of my stomach. "

His experience is similar to that of Goram, Who Said he ignored heartburn symptoms after being unable to book a face-to-face GP appointment.

Paul Went through four sessions of chemotherapy over an Eight -week period before a six-week break.

Then he had an 11-hour operation, which also included the removal of his spleen, before another six-week break prior to more " very aggressive chemotherapy".

" I was very ill with both sessions of chemo, " He Said . " The Second one was worse because you are already weak after the operation.

" As you recover you have to start learning to eat again, How To chew your food properly, have small portions and a lot of meals throughout The Day . "

Three years later, he is able to get back to The Gym to do light training - But things will never be " totally normal".

" You have just got to stay positive and be thankful for Every Day you wake up, " He Said .

" The important thing is it wasn't particularly major symptoms I had, But it is really important not to ignore it and to get it checked. "

The oesophagus is the long tube that carries food from the throat the stomach. The main symptoms of the cancer are:

Others include:

Linda Moffat, from Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross, considered herself a fit 48-year-old who rode horses Every Day Until December 2014.

The she " started to feel my food go Down - it was just kind of sticking, " she recalled. " The Pain progressed and the food was getting stuck.

" I was having to be sick to un-block it. I just thought it was an ulcer. We just thought 'Ach, it is going to be nothing'. "

After a while she " plucked up the courage to speak to The Doctor " and was put on antacids. But the symptoms continued and she was sent for an endoscopy.

That revealed a " very advanced tumour" at The Junction of her oesophagus and the start of a " very long, difficult journey".

" It's a very aggressive cancer and really brutal Surgery - Eight hours in theatre, " She Said . " You've got chemotherapy before and after. You have to learn to eat again.

" You have lots of problems with sickness and diarrhoea and pain. I don't think you're ever fully recovered.

" I Am very lucky. My cancer was very advanced and I was only given a 20% chance of survival.

" But I'm nearly seven years on now and I'm very happy to be alive and very grateful to everyone who helped me to be here. "

Ms Moffat said reading about Goram's diagnosis and others suffering with oesophageal cancer was " absolutely heart-breaking".

" It's often called the silent killer because the symptoms vary so much, " she added. " You just hope and pray people get to The Doctor early enough. "

Caroline Geraghty, a specialist nurse at, said The Risk of oesophageal cancer rises with " the usual things" such as smoking, alcohol and weight gain, as well as chewing tobacco.

" But having an increased risk doesn't mean you will definitely Go On and get cancer, " she pointed out. " For Most People , we don't know why they get oesophageal cancer. "

Ms Geraghty urged anyone who thinks they may have symptoms to go to their GP " to be on the safe side".

" As we know, the earlier you get to a cancer, the better the chances you have, " she added.

Statistics from released on Tuesday showed 155,405 NHS patients were waiting to be seen for The Eight key diagnostic tests on 31 March.

Numbers have gone up 10% in The First three months of the year and are 75% higher than the average before the pandemic.

David Ferguson , of Cancer Research UK in Scotland, said it was " unacceptable" that people were waiting too long for tests to determine whether they have cancer.

Ms Geraghty added that for the majority of patients, their symptoms will not be cancer-related.

" You can understand why Some GPs won't go straight to endoscopy to investigate - Some People just need antacids, " She Said . " But there will be Some individuals who maybe need to be sent for investigation quicker. "

Source of news: bbc.com