Cancer Treatment Centers of America

HazelFrances

I am considering switching from Penn Medicine to CTCA. I live within a one hour to 1 1/2 hr drive of a CTCA. I am interested in hearing good, bad, or medium personal experiences with CTCA.

vlnrph

Have you googled them? I found quite a bit of information on line a couple years ago (not good). As a for profit concern, apparently you will be accepted only if you have very good insurance. Ask how many Medicare or indigent individuals they treat. They are not in business to do charity care.

I find their ads to be obnoxious and misleading, highlighting anecdotal success stories instead of overall results. Of course, since they can select their patient population, any data they choose to report would be skewed.

Attending a komen event which featured one of the naturopathic practitioners CTCA employs, I was annoyed by that person using the title "doctor" given their so-called credentials. I would have respected the speaker more had they been a registered dietician or pharmacist whose clinical training had not taken place at the facility they were sent out to promote! The presentation slides used contained errors such as words spelled wrong.

They do follow standard protocols in addition to offering alternative therapies which some people gravitate toward. The University of Pennsylvania, on the other hand, is a world renowned research institution that will advance the state of oncology practice, not simply generate income for investors...

HazelFrances

Thanks for taking the time to write a reply. 

madhousemom

wow i am going there next week and your reply scares me do you have any first hand experience? i think it cant hurt to see what they offer Am i nieve?

exbrnxgrl

it can't hurt to check it out, but few people on this forum have gone there, for many reasons. I have heard nothing particularly cutting edge about their tx. Their commercials (they are a for profit business) are well done and their facilities are supposed to be quite luxe.

sandcastle

I...know they are a For Profit Organization......to be Honest about this.......I never even thought once about going there....Liz

madhousemom

arent all doctors and hospitals for profit? what places are not for profit particularly in nj where i live. what in particular is bad about them. i am so lost and scared

WinningSoFar

CTCA advertise as if they have unique therapies. I doubt that very much. If they did, I would be interested in them. Of course, I'm Medicare so they wouldn't be interested in me.

Spookiesmom

From what little I've heard about them, you MUST have insurance, and it better be top notch or they don't want you.

dtad

HazelFrancis. IMO you can't do better than a university based teaching hospital. Penn is one of the best! You are fortunate to be close to it. Good luck......

marijen

Kaiser is a non-profit that makes a profit ???

sandcastle

I, would stay at Penn.........But if you try CTA.....Have your eyes opened.....Liz

Kicks

It can get real technical as to the status of 'organizations'. There are 'non- profit', 'not for profit' and 'for profit'. Lots of different 'rules' apply to the different designations.

exbrnxgrl

Here's a quick and simpledescription of non-profit vs. for profit hospitals:

https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/resources/...

For profits have shareholders and/or investors who benefit monetarily from profits.

Non-profits are obligated to put profits back into their business.

So, whether you're talking about Kaiser or any hospital, in NJ or elsewhere, that's the difference.

Doctors are a different story. Many are in private practice, so are like small businesses (or big ones in the case of large medical groups). Others are employees of hospitals. In Kaiser's case, they are salaried employees.

exbrnxgrl

CTCA will also take you if you have cash, lots of cash

DizzParkMom

Not to start anything...please, just wanted to share a first person experience. I have nothing to gain from sharing my experience, but feel that I and others who have been treated at CTCA should be the ones giving our take about the facilities, but everyone it's entitled to their opinions.

I reached out to CTCA in April 2015 after my diagnosis and a disappointing visit with a local surgeon. I have regular old BCBS PPO and not a lot of 'CASH' sitting around. I came to CTCA in Zion, IL in April and met with General Physician, Medical Oncologist, Surgical Oncologist, and Radiation Oncologist (who happened to be a BC survivor). I was given very indept information about my diagnosis and given very detailed information about my treatment options. The information was all very scary and overwhelming. One option I had was to consider neo adjuvant chemo as it is known to be an effective way of assessing how responsive a 'tumor' is to the chemo medicines chosen. Having the desire to have cancer cut out of my body asap, this direction wasn't one that I immediately felt comfortable with. My MO and SO took so much time helping me understand that there wasn't a wrong choice and that they would support me and fight along right beside me no matter what choice I made. When my husband and I'm finally decided that the neo adjuvant method was what we should do, we were told that the whole tumor board supported my decision and thought that I'm was really brave. I began chemotherapy that day and travelled 1,500 miles to Zion, IL every 3 weeks for treatment. My chemo ended in mid Sept. I am currently at CTCA recovering from my BI lateral, skin sparing mastectomy with flap diep flap reconstruction. Throughout my chemo, my surgery, and now my recovery, I have had the support of an entire team of medical professionals and ctca employees doing anything and everything they can to help me fight my cancer with as little impact on my daily routine as possible. My naturopath, in particular, has been enormously effective in keeping me strong and healthy through this journey. He has never tried to pass himself off as an M.D. nor have any of the other naturopathy specialists whom I have spoken with. However he works along side my MO in providing everything my body has needed in order to survive the aggressive chemo I was on. As far as 'unique' treatments go, I can't say what one hospital might call unique and what another might call standard, or another might call experimental. Throughout my treatment, I encountered other patients with my same diagnoses who were told either that Carboplatin for triple negative patients was experimental and only available if in a clinical trial or weren't even told at all that Carboplatin is having promissing results with triple negative tumors. So, does it make my treatment with Carboplatin unique? No, but it sure does make the openness and open-mindedness of my doctors unique. Every single person I have met who works with CTCA has been 200% the friendliest, most helpful, most caring, most knowledgeable medical/business/customer service professionals I have ever met. CTCA likes to say that they provide the "mother standard of care". They treat everyone here like like they would their own mother or loved ones. These people really follow through on that message.

Beyond the people working here at CTCA, every single patient that I have come into contact with here at CTCA always says the same thing...."this is the right place to be". I have heard story after story about how people came for 2nd opinions or came here after being turned down somewhere else. One woman was told by her local hospital to get her affairs in order within a couple of weeks as that's likely as long as she had left. It was 6 years ago that she came to CTCA for a last ditch effort to save her own life and now she comes here twice a year for follow-ups. I can also tell you about the patient who was misdiagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer mets to bone at home (despite not having had a single biopsy). She came to CTCA and it was found that she didn't have breast cancer at all. She had bone cancer that had damaged her spine and needed emergency stabilizing surgery as she was millimeters away from becoming paralized. CTCA stabilized her surgery and started radiation asap. That was almost 5 years ago. By the way, these people weren't super rich with top notch health insurance. They don't have stacks of cash sitting around. I meet people everyday that struggled financially before cancer and will struggle financially after they beat cancer. CTCA doesn't go out of their way to bankrupt their patients. My hospital at home is another story. They pay for my flight back and forth for treatment and they subsidize my hotel so the most it costs is $44/night. They pay for my husband and my meals. They brought me a birthday cake when i had to get chemo on my 41st birthday and another when I officially finished my last chemo cycle. The culinary department will bring you anything you want to eat when get your infusions or when you are inpatient. They have a free laundry room. They pay for field trips to the surrounding areas (kenosha events, gurnee mills mall, baseball games). They give me free massages. They will adjust my wig when it needs styling. They shuttle us back and forth from the airport in limos, town cars, or luxury suv's. They have a top notch surgical department that offers the latest in breast reconstruction surgery by some of the most talented breast and plastic surgeons. They have Nurse Practioners, RNs, and Nursing technicians who make you feel so comfortable you feel like a family member is caring for you. They have drivers taking you back and forth from the hospital who make you feel like a family member is driving you.

I certainly know that CTCA may not be the right place for everyone, but it is the right place for many. I have read all the negative things on the Internet about CTCA and I am so glad that I decided to come here and decide for myself if it was the right place for me. If you are in need of a 2nd opinion or 3rd opinion, CTCA can adequately do that.

Janetanned

CTCA offers some nice options for cancer patients. The one outside of Philly certainly offers more luxurious accommodations than the inner city hospitals like Penn or Jefferson or even Fox Chase. My husband visited the CTCA when his crew was doing electrical work there and described it as a very fancy hotel that served cancer patients.

However, when it came time for me to find a facility, we chose Penn. I found that teaching hospitals usually offer the opportunity to participate in ground breaking research and cutting edge treatments. In addition, you have access to very specialized surgeons and doctors. I experienced some strange skin conditions shortly after having chemo. My onc sent me to a dermatologist who specialized in chemo skin reactions. That Dr sent me to a dermatologist who only treated Cowden Syndrome patients, in order to rule out the possibility of this genetic condition. I was also seen by a oncology geneticist for further testing to rule out known genetic links. While having blood drawn for the test, I was asked to participate in a long term study of genetics and cancer by agreeing to submit a blood sample for the test. That was 3 years ago. I recently heard from the researchers asking me to participate in another study. I agreed and will speak to a geneticist this coming Thursday to discuss findings on my original sample.

The environment of an inner city hospital can be very daunting. While the more suburban location of CTCA is very inviting. Through a coworker, I recommended Penn to a woman who was diagnosed with DCIS. She went to Penn and was turned off by the size and location. She choose CTCA and loved it there. I'm sure she received the treatment that she needed and she didn't need to deal with the stress of driving into the city. For me, the city is easy. I've always preferred university hospitals and have had good experiences with each pregnancy and each surgical procedure at Penn or Jefferson.

Good luck with your decision!

exbrnxgrl

The big wad of cash referred to were for those who didn't have insurance that CTCA accepts. I called, more out of curiosity (and pressure from my dad) and the gal I spoke with gave a chuckle when I told her about my medical insurance. They are selective. In the end, if your medical facility serves you well, that's what matters. I do, however, find it a bit odd that so few women on this forum go there, although this forum represents a limited populace.

Kicks

A good point - expemsive commercials on TV hqve nothing to do with the level/guality of care given. I had fantastic care at the facility I went to.

marijen

Dizz Park Mom, thank you for your in detail report on CTCA. I'm glad to hear you had a good experience. But I am wondering why you still needed a mastectomy after the chemo with IDC grade 3 and what stage you were at?

DizzParkMom

I wanted a bmx from the very beginning. It was not a requirement of my dx, but a personal decision that I was comfortable with. Also, because of the very small size of my breasts, a lumpectomy with reasonable margins would have left me requiring extensive reconstruction anyway. My post chemo MRI no longer showed evidence of the tumor. Because I received neo-adjuvant chemo, and had no sampling of my nodes during biopsy (other than u/s and mri) I was not staged.

marijen

Thank you Dizz Park Mom. Hope you have pretty boobs now : )

DivineMrsM

There are a couple other recent threads on CTCA:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...

bevin

HI Hazelfrances,

My aunt went to CTCA for ovarian cancer. Did very very well with a difficult cancer to treat. She personally felt the care, open dialogue and treatment were top notch. She felt it had a home type atmosphere that made her comfortable. This is someone is was from NYC and had many doctors nearby to choose from. As to the comment on Insurance that I read above, all hospitals and doctors accept only certain insurances. They do not as a regular process have ability to accept all Insurances. It depends on who they have contracts with. For Example, Roswell Park Cancer Institute has 20 different insurances they have contracts with nationally. But as you can imagine, there are likely hundreds of Insurance companies around the USA. Check out your own PCP, you'll see that they only accept certain insurance as they need to contract with them. That is nothing unique or negative about CTCA.

Health care decisions should be based on how you feel with your doctor, surgeon and oncologist that will be responsible for your care and if they are qualified to care for your type of cancer . They are the one you will be with for years to come. I wish you peace in making your decision. Ultimately, no matter what or who you choose to obtain your care from, just remember your doctor works for you. You pay their salary and they need to treat you and your concerns with respect. If you are not happy , you can always find someone you are comfortable with.

exbrnxgrl

I understand that not all facilities accept all types of insurance. CTCA has a history of accepting only "Cadillac " level medical insurance and cherry picking it's patients. That's not to say that those patients don't receive an excellent level of care. They just use a different business model than most medical facilities and not everyone is comfortable with that model.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE9250L8201...

sandcastle

My Friend goes there.....she lives in Georgia.....she seems to be impressed with the place.....this was her second opinon place.....traveling 150 miles for Chemo....just does not make sense...I was not impressed with some of her Doctors Education.....I call it the Disneyland of Cancer....Liz

sandcastle

Bump!!

sandcastle

Bump

ChiSandy

CTCA is excellent, IF:

1. You've got the right insurance (or in rare cases, the right Medicare supplement) or can afford to go out-of-pocket;

2. It's convenient for you to be treated there;

3. You don't have an equally good academic-based facility closer to home that accepts your insurance, straight Medicare or Medicare supplement; As far as Breast Cancer Centers of Excellence go, it's usually not the only game in town.

4. You understand that it “massages” its survival statistics to include only those patients whose entire course of treatment was at CTCA from the get-go; it doesn’t report on those who came there as a last resort.

Just be aware that despite having excellent doctors, it is nonetheless a for-profit, non-university non-teaching specialty hospital. And they cherry-pick the patients with the best insurance and who are likeliest to do well there; once it becomes apparent you won’t be one of their “success” stories, they tend to discourage you from further treatment there because you’d screw up their statistics (unless you can and want to keep paying).

Kessala

I see Cancer Treatment Centers of America is a sponsor of this website. Have they always advertised on breastcancer.org?

Love Liz's comment "the Disneyland of cancer"!

Out of curiosity I engaged in an online chat on the CTCA website just to get a feel as to how I would be greeted. I only typed out that I had cancer. Didn't mention where I live or what kind of cancer. The CTCA worker typed out they were sorry to hear I had cancer and immediately asked about my insurance. I replied I had health insurance and tried steering the chat away from insurance and tried asking about appointments and about traveling to one of their facilities. The CTCA worker ignored my questions and pushed to find out the name of my insurance company. The chat was going nowhere. That worker was determined not to go any further until they found out what insurance I had. I stopped the chat and in effect hung up.

I loathe their commercials. Brags by patients about how great they're doing. If you can read the infinitesimal writing along the bottom of the screen (no doubt insisted upon by their legal department) these results aren't usual.

CTCA offers nothing groundbreaking in cancer treatment. You get the same surgery/radiation/chemo at any cancer center. CTCA is big on the frills and hand-holding so patients feel like kings and queens. But they're receiving the same treatment regimens as at any cancer facility.

Kessala

sandcastle

My..Friend goes there.....I was Not happy when she picked this place....had good hospitals near her in Agusta, Georgia....but she was at the beginning of Diagnosis and wanted things done yesterday!!  She travels about two hours to get there.....is so impressed that they put you up in a hotel!!  She tells me in January she has to give them $2,500 up front.....I did not want to ask...but makes no sense to me since it is the beginning of the Insurance Calendar....Liz