The disadvantages of a local doctor also became clearer to me as we moved along with my treatment. None of my doctors ever would tell me exactly how many IBC patients they had treated, but eventually I learned that I was the third to receive treatment at the local hospital and that the first two had died.
After my surgery, my doctors were visibly shaken to learn that I had 16 positive lymph nodes despite a relatively fast diagnosis and a prompt beginning to treatment. They hadn't expected my cancer to move that fast, and I'm guessing that since then when they have suspected IBC, appointments and tests have been done stat! And I was starting to question my easy-going compliance with whatever they suggested. I wanted to be sure I really was getting the best treatment.
I was a little nervous when I suggested to my doctor that I get a second opinion, but he said that he planned to suggest it himself because of there were several treatment options for me, and he wanted the help of the experts to decide which way to go. I had recently moved to Missouri from North Carolina and knew people at Duke.
At Duke, the receptionists knew about IBC-a first for me. I'd been having to explain even to oncology nurses how I could have breast cancer without a lump. My husband and I spent the morning there, and everyone answered questions without rushing us. The Duke doctor confirmed that my local doctor's treatment plan was probably the best way to go, but he went over my other options with their risks and benefits. He suggested one additional test my local doctor hadn't planned and sent a complete report back to Missouri. Today many IBC patients are choosing to go to the first clinic dedicated specifically to inflammatory breast cancer at MD Anderson in Houston.
If you are trying to decide whether to use your local doctors or go to a big cancer center, you must weigh many factors. You need doctors who have experience with and knowledge about your type of cancer. You also need accessibility for emergencies and follow up care. I found that local doctors who were willing to work with the research doctors was the perfect combination for me.
