Diagnosed again...wondering about going to Boston for treatment

I would encourage you to set up appts at Dana Farber too and then make an informed decision about which/where you feel most comfortable.  It is so very important to have confidence in your treatment and doctors. 

I just visited their website and I'm blown away (Dana Farber).  I think if you are lucky enough to live close enough to such a world class institution you should (insurance-finances provided) utilize it in the interest of your health.  It's unlikely  smaller independent providers can offer the same breadth of expertise and resources.  Does this actually translate into a material difference in your care? Who knows.  At this point it is too early to say how "run of the mill" or "complex" your case is.  Sure we may all end up taking tamoxifen or AI at the END but I don't think that means treatment is the same.   There are judgments and choices made every step of the way beginning with initial evaluation of your case - what do you present with.  That initial call too like everything is crucial. I for one prefer a place /provider who has seen my case a lot before.  Who has the resources of a team and are leaders in the field. Certainly you want to proceed locally - if that's more comfortable for you - with the confidence of a world class second opinion in your case evaluation and treatment plan. 

Hi Pam, I live four hours north of Boston, and am getting treatment for advanced bc in a local med. center. My oncologist knows one of the docs at the DF breast cancer center, and is recommending a second opinion due to some complexities in my situation. She also is hoping that I can get into their system and when clinical trials time comes, can move into one of those more quickly. Her take on their dept. is that lots of docs talk about cases all the time, there is much cross fertilization between departments, and that Dr Overmeyer in particular, is great at staying in close contact with local physicians. Not all are. Insurance balked at authorizing a referral back in April, but I am trying again with more help from the onc. office to bolster my PCP referral. 

My recommendations from recent experience: Get the best help you can on dx'ing and tx'ing this recurrence/new incident. Get scanned to rule out advanced disease. 

Good luck with everything, its an intense time but it does ease up some. Hugs.

Another one chiming in on DFCI... I have been with them since mid-May and cannot say enough about the quality of care, responsiveness and ease of being a patient (valet parking, reduced parking rates, iPAD loans, book carts, free lunch / snacks, hand massages, integrative therapy floor with acupuncture etc.) It really is one-stop shopping. Also, you pick a local hospital - Mass General, Brigham and Womens, Beth Isreal, Faulkner for your surgeon and they coordinate directly. It's a world class experience and I feel extremely comfortable with the protocol they outlined and are following for me. You won't regret it if you can make the trip. They are really good about trying to schedule as many appts in one day as possible to help you out. It can make for a long day, but worth it if you travel. There's also something called Hope House which has rooms for those who travel over 40 miles. Good luck and sorry you have to go through this again.

Pam...I am so sorry, but I agree that you need the best minds on this.  Nowhere in CT is that far away from Boston.  You could have a totally new primary tumor as well, which would mean that you had beat it the first time. Anyway, sorry about the lymph nodes, but 5 years past diagnosis, I am doing very well.  Good luck with all this. - Claire

I am being treated at mgh and can't recommend it highly enough. I live about an hour and a half west of Boston and think that it is totally worth the drive. My initial (and mis-read) MRI was in Worcester. People come to boston from all over the world for treatment and we are lucky to have it right in our backyard. My first stop in Worcester resulted in an extra surgery for me because they missed the IDC in my right breast. The radiologist at mgh picked up on it immediately. 

Go to Boston!!

Good luck to you whatever you decide. lynn 

Hi Pam, I am in CT too and I have my treatment at Yale which is also a NCI center but much newer and not as highly ranked (yet) as MMSK and DF, Mass General etc. But, since you are in NE CT, I would most definitely go to either MG or DF! If I thought I needed more care, I would either call Memorial Sloane Kettering in NYC or DF in Boston. We are so blessed to be sandwiched near several great cancer centers here in CT. We have our pick really! DF is I believe in the top 5 NCI in the country and so is MMSK so I would take advantage of those wonderful doctors if I were you. Hugs!