Breast Care Centers in Mass

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Bella_YT
Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

Hi all,

I have been diagnosed with DCIS on 1/19/11. Because I am in the greater Boston area, there are good hospitals. I am currently seeing doctors from Winchester Breast Care Center. Does anyone know this area and know whether this is a good place or should I consider to be referred to places such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute?

Thanks,

Bella 

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  • teharring
    teharring Member Posts: 46
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella,

    I'm in the Boston area as well, and had my treatment done at Mount Auburn in Cambridge.  I haven't heard anything about Winchester Breast Care Center, but that doesn't mean that they don't provide great care.  Are you comfortable with all of your doctors and with your treatment plan?  Those were the most important factors for me.  Even though Mount Auburn is a smaller, community hospital, I have fantasic doctors and nurses.  

    Take Care, 

     Theresa

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  • negirly
    negirly Member Posts: 318
    edited February 2011

    I'm from Rhode Island and goto Dana Farber.  It is a little overwhelming at first bc of the size of their facility but for me there was no other choice in my mind.  My treatment here in RI would have been the same but at DFCI there are really on "top" of everything.  Just my thoughts....

    Good Luck...

    Karyn

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    Thanks Theresa and Karyn. I heard some good things about Winchester Breast Care Center but I wonder if there are some kind of ranking systems available that I can look up which is ranked on the top in the Boston area. My doctor seems competent-- he has 30 years of experience but since I am so close to Boston, I wonder whether I should opt to see doctors at DFCI.

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  • Kezzie62
    Kezzie62 Member Posts: 189
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella

    I too live in boston, I am being treated at DFCI, I am having my surgery done at DFCI's satelite center at the Faulkner Hospital.  I like DFCI because they have everything available in one place and they have the best support system, I always get a phone call as soon as any results are available and I can email all my doctors at anytime with questions I may have.  I am sure you would get good doctors at Winchester as well as at DFCI.

    Kezzie

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    Hi Kezzie,

     Thanks for your information. One thing I am not completely happy with Winchester Breast Care Center is I don't have direct access to doctors. I always have to call the nurse, leave a message, then the nurse will call back. They don't do emails like DFCI or Brigham & Women's Hospital people do.

     Bella 

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  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited February 2011

    Just saw this thread and thought I would bump it for Bella, since I know there are many other BCO gals who have been treated @ Dana Farber and other Boston area facilities.   Deanna

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  • momand2kids
    momand2kids Member Posts: 1,508
    edited February 2011

    Bella

    I had my lumpectomy at Mass General and was treated at Dana Farber.... I think if you can be treated at the Farber, it is well worth it--but that said, many of the community hospitals are very good.  I was interested in a surgeon and an oncologist who were also active researchers in the field-and those are more common at the teaching hospitals.  If you need names, feel free to pm me

    all the best

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    The plastic surgeon that my doctor in Winchester center referred me to actually told me that I should talked to a doctor in Beth Israel. Would Beth Israel be as good as DFCI? Thanks so much for those of you who gave me pointers.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella - I'm from RI and was seen at MGH.  I had a super BS and underwent Nipple Sparing BMX.  It really looks amazing!  My PS is pretty great so far, too.  I still have tissue expanders and am awaiting exchange in 6 weeks.  I didn't require further treatment (chemo/rads), so I can only speak of the surgical work I had. Good luck in your decision-making!

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  • scrapmom40
    scrapmom40 Member Posts: 165
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella - I was originally diagnosed at the Winchester Breast Cancer Center in Woburn.  I was diagnosed three years ago and the breast surgeon I originally saw there is no longer there.

     Any way, I love everyone there.  The nurses are great, etc., but when I was diagnosed, my breast surgeon at the Winchester told me "you live so close to Boston you should look into getting a second opinion".  So, that is what I did.  Going into Boston is a pain in the butt because of the traffic, but I did not want to base my treatment on convenience.  I was treated at Dana Farber and had my surgery at the Faulkner Hospital (my Breast Surgeon at Dana Farber did her surgery at the Faulkner and South Shore Hospital).  I loved my breast surgeon and I love my oncologist.  My plastic surgeon was also out of the Faulkner hospital.

     Since I was originally diagnosed at the Winchester, I do belong to the Breast Cancer Support Group there (which is a great bunch of women).

    Good Luck in making your decisions.  If you have any specific questions, you can PM me.

     Karen

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  • septembersong
    septembersong Member Posts: 287
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella,

    I was diagnosed and had my lumpectomy at Newton-Wellesley. When it became clear that I'd need chemo, I switched to Dana-Farber. I wasn't happy with the care at Newton-Wellesley. The communication with the staff at the Breast Center there was awful, in my view. 

    I've been very happy with my treatment and follow-up at Dana-Farber. It's a world-class facility, and not just because of the research they conduct there. The staff are caring, efficient, and very responsive. This makes a huge difference if you're going in week after week (for chemo) and day after day (for radiation).

    That said, it's a commute, and you may not feel you need to add that stress to your life right now. If you're happy with your treatment plan and the team you're working with, stay with them. Maybe getting a second opinion from a teaching hospital in town will help you sort out your choices.  

    Either way, best of luck and good health.

    Ann  

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    Hi Ann,

     Thanks so much for your posting. I am not terribly happy with the communication with Winchester Breast Care Center, either. My doctor and the nurses are nice, but I don't get direct communication with the doctor, and he is only there on Wednesdays.

    I will PM you for the names of the surgeons who worked with you at Dana Farber.

    Thanks again,

    Bella 

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  • keno41
    keno41 Member Posts: 91
    edited February 2011

    HI Bella,

     If the commute is a problem going to Dana Farber, you should look into Lahey Clinic in Burlington. I had my mastectomy done at the Sophia Gordon Cancer Center there and could not have been happier. For me, the trust and communication with the doctors is key!  I actually started at Dana Farber and did not like the doctor at all. I loved my whole team at Lahey and I think that's the most important thing!  That   being said, most people I know from around me, in Waltham, do go to Dana Farber and all are very happy!

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    Hi Keno,

    Thanks for the posting. The Commute is not a big problem for me. I actually work in the neighborhood of Longwood Medical Area. So it is actually quite convenient for me to go from work to the hospital. Looks like I will be getting myself transfered to Beth Israel.

    Thanks,

    Bella 

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  • teharring
    teharring Member Posts: 46
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella,

    Have you chosen your oncologist at Beth Israel yet?  When I was diagnosed, I was lucky enough to have a family friend who used to be an oncology nurse (she is also a breast cancer survivor).  She gave me a list of names of doctors from some of the different hospitals in Boston if you're still in the process of figuring that out.  

     Theresa 

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  • ferbevi2001
    ferbevi2001 Member Posts: 11
    edited February 2011

    Hi 

    I was diagnosed on June 2009.  I had  all my treatments and follow ups at  Lahey Clinic.  I'm very happy and comfortable with them. I also went for a second opinion to Dana Farber  on August 2009 and the doctor  recommended  to continued at Lahey clinic  because  I  was in good hands and didn't  make sense to travel from Newburyport to  Boston every day for radiation therapy . Both  had exactly the some diagnose . Sorry because my English is not perfect.

    M. Fernanda

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  • keno41
    keno41 Member Posts: 91
    edited February 2011

    Hi Ferbevi2001,

    Just curious, who was your doctor at Lahey? I had Dr. Karp and could not have been happier!

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  • negirly
    negirly Member Posts: 318
    edited February 2011

    Scrapmom - My BS also works out of Faulkner, So Shore and BWH.  Did you have Dr. Nimbkar? If so, I loved her too.

    Karyn (same name different spelling)

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  • ferbevi2001
    ferbevi2001 Member Posts: 11
    edited February 2011

    Hi Keno41

    My doctor is Dr Karp also and I like him very much. My Oncologist is Dr Rode and she is wonderful too. Since my  diagnose  I have been between Burlington and Peabody. I live in Newburyport but I work in Wakefiled.

    Maria F

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited February 2011

    Hi Bella,

    I was treated at Beth Israel Hospital and had a very positive experience. The surgeon, oncologist, and radiation oncologist all worked together as a team. The support staff was excellent, and the nursing staff was first-rate. Dana Farber and Mass General are also excellent. But since it sounds as if you'll be at Beth Israel, I wanted to let you know how pleased I was with my care there.

    Barbara 

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    Thank you so much, Barbara!

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  • sunshinegal
    sunshinegal Member Posts: 209
    edited February 2011

    Dr. Karp was my surgeon also. I felt I had great care at Lahey Clinic, but I did get a 2nd opinion on radiation from DFCI. Good luck, Bella!

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited February 2011

    hi hopefor30,

     Thanks so much for your posting. I heard a lot of great things about Dr. Houlihan in the breast care center of BIDMC. Unfortunately she has a long long waiting list. So I am going with Dr. Sharma as the breast surgeon and Dr. Lin as the DIEP surgeon if I choose to do that surgery. 

    I will PM you with specific questions.

    Thanks again,

    Bella 

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  • lesleye
    lesleye Member Posts: 38
    edited March 2011

    Hello:

    I was just diagnosed, and visited doctors at Beth Israel and Dana Farber/Faulkner.  Does anyone know Dr. Carter from Faulkner?  I like her approach, since she told me to have lumpectomy and said my tumor is slow growing so I did not need masctecomy.  I have tubular carcinoma.  Does anyone know Dr. Sharma at the BI?  Also, I met with Dr. Freedman at Faulkner, onocologist. I did like her, and she knew the group at the radiation satellite center I would be attending.  

    Thanks:

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  • Bella_YT
    Bella_YT Member Posts: 95
    edited March 2011

    Lesleye,

    I have responded your posting through PM.

    Best,

    Bella 

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  • XRAYestInMA
    XRAYestInMA Member Posts: 132
    edited March 2011

    To Any Woman being treated at BIDMC for MX and Recon...

    Has anyone consulted with Dr. Mary Jane Houlihan as a choice if considering a MX(or PBX) and/or Dr. Adam Tobias (or his group) for recon possibilites?

    I have consulted with the latter and will meet with the former next week. Just wondering what your take on these fine medical professionals is. You can PM me if you would rather "chat" that way. I'd love to hear others opinions if you would be so kind to share your thoughts =)

    Thanks so much...

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  • grammytotheboys
    grammytotheboys Member Posts: 23
    edited March 2011

    I live in Newburyport and see Dr. Karen Krag at MGH Danvers Cancer Center and Dr. Derek Chism as my rad onco there as well. Extremely pleased with all phases there.

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  • ferbevi2001
    ferbevi2001 Member Posts: 11
    edited March 2011

    Hi grammytotheboys:

    What a coincidence I live in NBPT too. I'm on Tamoxifen for the last 18 months and side effects are not too bad. The only complain is that the Tamoxien is driving my periods very crazy. I can have a period two times in one month or none for 45 days. I need to carry pads all the time just in case,  but  that's all for my case.

    Fernanda

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  • jteach
    jteach Member Posts: 199
    edited March 2011

    Hi Ladies!

     Bella and Xray-I did not have my immediate care (mast,chemo,rads) in Boston, but had DIEP done by Dr. Adam Tobias at Beth Israel Deaconess.  What a wonderful experience!

     I really felt used, abused, manhandled,and as if I had endured every indignity known to man before I ventured into Boston for reconstruction.Dr.Tobias changed all that.  Every question I ever had went through one person, his right hand, nurse Maria.  The care I receive still,because I'm not quite done yet, is wonderful.  He is a gifted surgeon that listens and cares about what I think. Even the hospital staff was wonderful. 

    PM me if you want to talk!

    Janice 

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  • lesleye
    lesleye Member Posts: 38
    edited April 2011

    Just as a follow up, I had surgery at Faulkner with Dr. Carter.  I am very happy with my choice.  I am healing well.  Dr. Carter's bedside manner and helpfulness as a surgeon were excellent.  I am happy with my choice.

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