Chemo at NCI hospital or local?

Truffles1968

I had a BMX at Johns Hopkins on 12/4. I am Her2+ (changed from Her2- at biopsy) so I will need chemo.

I meet with the oncologist at Hopkins on 12/23 for the first time.

I assume I will get chemo locally since Johns Hopkins is 5 hours away. Or is it possible to do chemo there and travel home?

Not even sure how to arrange chemo locally whenoncologist is far away. Do I get local oncologist too? I don't want to delay the start of treatment.

BarredOwl

Hi Truffles:

I don't know the answer to your questions. I see you are ER+ PR+ HER2+. With HER2-positive disease, chemotherapy plus targeted therapy (trastuzumab (HERCEPTIN)) would be recommended.

Please introduce yourself and post your question in this quite active "Triple Positive Group" to get input from those with experience that takes into account the longer-term administration of herceptin:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topics...

BarredOwl

twiggyOR

Hi Truffles,

I am receiving treatment at a facility 6 hours away. It's not easy but is certainly doable. My husband and I drive up the afternoon before, stay overnight with family, and we try to drive home after treatment. Sometimes it gets too late for us to do that so we stay another night. I think if you want to be closer you will need to find an oncologist also. They will see you every time you have treatment.

Things to consider:

Do you have someone else to go with you? I would have a hard time doing the entire drive home by myself.

Financially, can you afford the gas, lodging, and time off work?

Getting treatment started quickly was a big factor in my decision.

LisaAlissa

Hospitals like Hopkins work with many patients who live far away. If you like the Hopkins MO and/or want to work with him/her, ask them how to best handle. You may have several options. Traveling like twiggy suggested. Using the Hopkins treatment plan but have it administered by a more local MO. Or some variation on those themes. The Hopkins MO may even have a good working relationship already with someone who is local to you. (You won't know until you ask!)

HTH,

LisaAlissa