Tuesday, January 12, 2010
You find a lump in your breast. You report it to your doctor, and a mammogram becomes an MRI, then a biopsy, then a diagnosis: breast cancer.What’s your next move?You do what your doctor tells you. You set up appointments at your local hospital with a surgeon to remove the tumor, and an oncolog...
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Thank you, PJ for explaining why the NCI centers get such good results. I didn't live near a comprehensive cancer center when I was diagnosed, but I did go to one to get a second opinion. When writing last year about Jan Watkins, the oncology coordinator at the community hospital where I was treated, I learned about another way to check the quality of local hospitals' cancer program. Jan recommended that patients look for a hospital with an oncology program accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Quoting from that sharepost:
To receive this accreditation a hospital must have a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment and be evaluated every three years. The Commission on Cancer (CoC) website describes their Approvals Program this way. The program “encourages hospitals, treatment centers, and other facilities to improve their quality of patient care through various cancer-related programs. These programs are concerned with prevention, early diagnosis, pretreatment evaluation, staging, optimal treatment, rehabilitation, surveillance for recurrent disease, support services, and end-of-life care. Recognizing that cancer is a complex group of diseases, the CoC Cancer Program Standards promote consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary cooperation results in improved patient care."
I was really happy with my combination of a second opinion at the big well-known center with treatment fifteen minutes from my house.
Great information, Phyllis. I'm glad to hear there are other avenues for assessing the top cancer centers beyond the NCI. We all do so much research into our specific cancers; a bit of effort spent figuring out the best options for a treatment facility, as well, is surely time well spent. Thanks for your feedback here - PJH
Another great this about these NCI centers is they have a "tumor board" where all the oncologist meet and discuss each individual case. That's a lot of brain power and knowledge in one room!
There is indeed, Carolyn - serendipitously, I happen to live 2 miles from a Comprehensive Cancer Center - 14 doctors and surgeons discussed my case. The treatment I got was superb, and 8 years later, no sign of cancer (despite the fact it had spread out of my breast). When you're newly diagnosed, it's well worth checking out the list of centers, and where they're located; you never know when you might need a second opinion. Have a great day - PJH