MD ANDERSON

TAPPY

thoughts about MD Anderson ?

I live 3 hours away and I am thinking that after chemo I will go and get a second opinion on follow up care ?

StillKicking

You can also send them you scans and reports and they will review. 

Tiger_Blood

Yes...just got back from there and I live in Ohio

Anonymous

I had a second opinion consult a week ago at their new center in metro Phx and I am DEFINITELY going there for radiation and surgery after chemo. I live three hours away and will have to live there for radiation and I'm going to make that work. Very, very impressed.

TAPPY

what made you choose them over your current doctor ?

And did they agree with your chemo protocal ?

tarry

I'm getting treatment at md anderson right now. I'm having rads after a lumpectomy. I think it is simply excellent. I haven't liked everyone I've dealt with, but it is hard to imagine a better place.



Most of the doctors are hyper-bright, and the staff are genuinely caring. It might be that a different opinion is equally good, but it's almost certainly not better.

Anonymous

   I went to MDA two years ago and was very impressed with the treatment I got there.  I have stayed in touch with the onco I saw and am absolutely amazed at how quick he is to respond to my emails and always answers my questions and gives his opinion without me even being and active patient there.  In the past year all the treatments I have been doing have failed so I am thinking of going back there and have had my records sent there for review.   If I was only 3 hrs away....heck, yes I would go there for at least an opinion.....isn't there a hospital in NO that is affiliated with MDA...Jefferson something? 

juliehowell

It is where I got my treatment. Can't say enough about the state of the art, cutting edge of breast cancer treatment.  I traveled back and forth from Colorado and every mile was worth it.

TAPPY

Is FEC their recommended protocol for most breast cancers?

Anonymous

My husband died of cancer 16 years ago and we didn't get a second opinion. His tx was botched--his hickman fell out of his chest, they weren't giving him the proper dose of rads and not in the right place.  This was at my local hospital. I vowed never to get tx there again and that I would always get a second opinion. My oncologist is 45" away, so I'll be driving there for tx.  When the time comes for surgery/rad, I'll be going to MD Anderson in Phx. The MD onc. agreed with my own onc, and said actually that it's more important to get skilled surgeons and radiologists than an onc. since the protocol depending on your case is about the same for chemo.  She even called me a day later and asked me to ask my biopsy surgeon about a slight discrepancy on my pathology report! They are thorough. As I said before--I was ready to move in and will go there when surgery and rad comes up.

adgirl5

Yes to your question about giving FEC.  I'm triple negative and my treatment is at MD Anderson in Houston.  I'm 7 hours away, so part of my chemo is carried out here at home.  The tx plan was Taxol (failed due to tumor growth) and now I'm on FEC. They choose between FEC or FAC. 

They don't deviate from protocol depending on your type of breast cancer as far as I know.  It's Neoadjuvant therapy for any tumor 2cm and above with the two chemo drugs I mentioned in that order.  They conducted a huge case study which found Taxol before FEC or FAC had the best survival rates. It's too bad I was unable to complete the Taxol (only 3 rounds) but tumor growth was unacceptable and my oncologist who specializes in aggressive cancers quickly moved me on to FEC.

scuttlers

Definitely worth it! They saved my life, literally!!!! Why wait, why not go now?

adgirl5

I like your attitude scuttlers! 

TAPPY

Any others at MD get FEC or FAC ?  Just wondering ifthey do any of the other protocals ?

TAPPY

And...any doctor recommendations ?  Or do they pick one for you ?

scuttlers

They picked mine. I love her. I am seen in the IBC clinic so I do not know if she sees all BC patients. Dr. Melham.

Tiger_Blood

I am here right now! When I called for my first appt they picked one for me. The Patient Coordinator also asked me to look at all their bios online and to call her back if I saw someone who resonated with me. I called back to switch because the doc I liked did lots of research on Her 2. I asked to be placed on his waiting list and they called me two days later saying he had an appt in 2 days. So, my hubby and I booked plane tickets quickly and were off to Houston. They work miracles here!n

dreaming

I am so glad you liked MDACC, when I was diagnosed I signed as a volunteer, to meet cancer patients, never had met one before.

After my treatments, I was offered a position and I said yes! We, the staff really care for our patients, we keep up on how they are doing and try to make it easier while they are with us.

I remember all my patients, I was not the only person that had cancer when hired ,my director had and several others.

I have seen doctors and RN cry when they loose a patient, and we celebrate when they visit us , years after diagnosis, we have had patients that got married in the Chapel, that bring their kids to meet us, I love working here.

We have had patients that did not want to leave the nest we built for our patients.

I did not have my treatments at MDACC, because I had my chemo at home. My oncologist preferred this way.

Also when a new patient comes , we have a conference and present the patient medical information and everybody gives a medical opinion, this way a patients gets the best  care.