Places to find SoCal doctor recommendations?

LCofOC

Hello all,

Really surprised at how poorly sites like Yelp, Healthgrades, ZocDoc, etc. represent BC doctors. Very few reviews/ratings out there.

Is there a discussion board here or elsewhere where members can recommend various cancer centers and specific doctors in local areas? For me specifically, it would be Orange County, California or Los Angeles (though OC is preffered).

Any recommendations for cancer centers and surgeons? And/or any to avoid?

Thank you!

LC

RDA123

I'm in the L.A. Area. I go to encino breast center in the valley. I have friends that have had good experiences at Cedars Sianai and UCLA.

dlb823

I can't say enough wonderful things about UCLA (specifically Dr. Raquel Prati, if you are looking for a breast surgeon), but here's a complete list of the NCI-designated cancer centers in California. We're fortunate to have a few in So. Cal, although none in OC. Depending on where you are in OC, UCSD might be an option. I've always heard good things about Hoag, too, although they're not NCI-designated. Good luck! Deanna

http://www.cancer.gov/research/nci-role/cancer-cen...

MargaretEleanor

I'm a huge UCLA fan. Dr. Paul Schmit did my mastectomy and Dr. Christopher Crisera did myreconstruction. I live in Phoenix and travelled to LA for surgery.

ORknitter

City of Hope is where my sister was treated.

LCofOC

Thank you everyone for your responses. Looks like a good number are seeing doctors in the L.A. area. I was hoping to stay local in Orange County to find the best surgical oncologist and plastic surgeon. Anyone has experience with Hoag, UC Irvine, Saddleback Memorial?

As dlb823 mentioned, Hoag is not an NCI (National Cancer Institute) - so what is the advantage of going to a NCI center? Oh, so much to learn and I'm so overwhelmed. Thank you, dlb823, can you shed some more info on this topic?

If I have to, after not much success with OC, I will look into UCLA, Cedars Sinai, City of Hope, etc.

LisaAlissa

Yes, I was treated at Hoag in Newport Beach and was very pleased with my treatment. My surgeon (Dr. Alice Police) had her offices in the Hoag Breast Center when I was treated, but moved out of that center later. I was very pleased with the coordination of care I experienced there. Radiation & Oncology were all right there. Understand that the breast center there now has a surgical emphasis on oncoplastic surgery.

Sounds silly, but the (free) valet parking there was just one of the touches that made me feel cared for.

LisaAlissa

LCofOC

Hi LisaAlissa,

Glad to hear positive news on Hoag. I did look into Dr. Alice Police and she is now with Pacific Breast Care Center which is owned by UCI. Reviews on Yelp are + and -. Did she work alongside with a plastic surgeon that was part of her team or did you have to look outside for one? This is where the challenge is for me..sigh. I am looking to do breast-conserving mastectomy.

Thank you!

LisaAlissa

Hi LC,

Neither. I had a lumpectomy, SNB & Mammosite radiation (surgeon placed a spacer, then Mammosite catheter & then removed catheter after radiation was complete). I didn't use a separate plastic surgeon, but had a spectacular cosmetic result. While I can always identify the scar, various medical personnel seem to do a double take and think they must be looking at the wrong breast. (I was "lucky" that my affected breast was my slightly larger one--now it's the slightly smaller, but still within the range of "matching.")

Since I don't think I could have had a better result (cosmetically speaking) and my margins were good, I was very pleased with Dr. Police.

I think at least one of the surgeons now w/ Hoag is an oncoplastic surgeon. If I were being treated now, I'd probably at least have a consultation with an oncoplastic surgeon.

HTH,

LisaAlissa

LCofOC

Hi LisaAlissa,

Good to know about consulting with oncoplastic surgeon. Can you share the name of the oncoplastic surgeon at HOAG? Looking online, I see Dr. Melvin Silverstein and I think he's the guru there in that area. Did you have any experience with him?

Thanks again!

LisaAlissa

I can't really help with current names, as I no longer live in the area. I haven't had any experience with Dr. Silverstein, as he came to Hoag after my surgery was already complete.

Please let me know what you think!

Best wishes,

LisaAlissa

LoveJoyPeace

Hi LC,

I'm in Orange County and had surgeries at Hoag Newport Beach. My breast surgeon (double mastectomy-Nov 2015) is Dr. Coleen Coleman and plastic surgeon (LD flap) is Eleonore Zetrenne. So far I'm pleased. Let me know if you have more questions.

LCofOC

Hi LoveJoyPeace,

Thank you for the info on Hoag with Dr. Coleman and Dr, Zetrenne. Can I PM you?