need recommendation for Philadelphia diagnostic resource(s)

Philadelphia is a pretty large area.  Marissa Weiss (who started this website) is associated with The University of Pennsylvania which by all accounts has a great reputation.  It is located in the University City section of the city, and is a teaching hospital which has both pros (cutting edge research) and cons (lots of students observing and treating patients).

Dr Beth DuPree is one of the experts on this site and has a practice in Bucks County.  She is the head of the breast cancer program at Holy Redeemer Hospital in the Northeast section of Philadelphia.  I see one of the other surgeons who is part of her practice, which supports the use of complimentary healing measures such as yoga and reiki along with cutting edge surgical techniques. 

There are many other options in this area, it is a matter of the type of setting that your daughter will feel most comfortable and confident in, and that is a reasonable travel distance for her.  It is only a couple of hours to NYC or Baltimore, so if she is willing to travel a bit she really has options that range from some of the best world known facilities to local hospitals that frequently share staff with some of those top notch facilities. 

Dear emasters,

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's situation. I am an employee of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and came across your post.

I am writing to let you know that if your daughter receives a diagnosis of cancer, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center is typically the best place to go for cancer care. The doctors at these facilities are known for their extensive experience in treating all types of cancers, and for developing and delivering more effective approaches to treating them.

You might try searching for a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center on their web site (by location and key word): https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/factsheet/FactSheetSearch1_2.aspx.

Here is the complete list alphabetically by name: http://cancercenters.cancer.gov/cancer_centers/cancer-centers-names.html

I hope this information is useful and wish your daughter the best of luck identifying the right physician and facility for her care. -Esther

My wife was treated at Lankenau Hospital on the west side of Philly.  We can highly recommend their services, including Dr Jennifer Sabol (surgeon), Dr Paul Gilman (oncologist), and Dr Marissa Weiss (rad).  (Yes, the same Dr Weiss mentioned earlier, whose practice is actually at Lankenau.)   In addition to these three exceptional docs we interfaced with so many other health care professionals there and they all were exceptional and caring!!

We had the option to go to at least 2 closer hospitals and we chose Lankenau.  And now after innumerable visits for treatment (40 min each way), we would do it all over again (not that we ever want to!!)

Lankenau also just opened a new breast health care center, so they probably have all the latest diagnostic and treatment tools.

Good luck to your daughter!!

The U of Penn Hospital and Fox Chase are NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers.  I can personally recommend the Rena Rowan Breast Center at Penn.  Regarding doctors, I think that finding a good fit often depends upon personality (and of course, the doctor's availability).  

Just saw this - it may be too late, but I did lots of research last summer.  I think Fox Chase and Penn are comparable, but Penn does more research and Penn doctors may be willing to do more cutting edge stuff.  Penn did neo adjuvant chemo for me (to help me conserve my breast) and Fox Chase is less likely to do that.  However, there is a great surgeon who just left Penn and went to Fox Chase - Marcia Boraas.  If you want a great sureeon at Penn - Brian Czerniecki is terrific.  Angela DeMichele is a wonderful oncologist at Penn.  I can tell you that the Rena Rowan Breast Center at Penn is wonderful - a warm and cheerful place. Hope this helps.