Support Groups - Team of Doctors...how important was it for you?

Team of Doctors...how important was it for you?

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Topic: Team of Doctors...how important was it for you?

Posted By: scared
Subject: Team of Doctors...how important was it for you?
Date Posted: Nov 17 2009 at 12:26pm

There are some things we can control when it comes to breast cancer and one of the most important is our team of doctors that will be in our corner fighting breast cancer. Initially our regular doctor gave us some options on where we would like our treatment.

We had several choices one where we could have everything in one location and the other we would have to go to several places during each phase of treatment. We picked having everything done at one place. (Seattle Swedish Cancer Center).

The first person on our team was a breast surgeon. He set us up with tests to determine the staging of the cancer. Then we had to choose an oncologist. I looked at our local magazine that had the Best Doctors in our region for breast cancer. Luckily two were in our cancer clinic so we picked Dr. Rinn. She would not accept us unless we had a port-a-cath implanted so we did (very good decision). Finally she recommended a radiation oncologist who was rated highly in the same magazine Dr. Morris. So, we had our team in place and felt very comfortable in that regard.

How important do you feel it is in having a good team of doctors to help you in your breast cancer fight?

If you had to do it over again would you choose different doctors...why?

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Wife diagnosed 7/08 stage 2B 4.78cm with 3 nodes. 15 weeks of Adriamycin and Cytoxin, Mastectomy, 12 weeks of Taxol, and 6.5 weeks of radiation.

Replies:

Posted By: trip2
Date Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 4:08pm

Dave,

I just saw your post. Having everyone in one spot sounds wonderful, so glad you were able to do it this way.

I live very rural and w/o driving a whole bunch I picked a local clinic for treatments, had a surgeon 80 miles the other way, feel like by now I know all of the Eastern part of OK by heart. Now I have a new Onc in Tulsa where I believe one could get about everything done if need be although it is a 2 hr drive one way.

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Stage 2 2003
Stage 1 2007
BRCA 1+

Posted By: unklez
Date Posted: Jan 01 2010 at 4:55pm

Dear Dave,

While it is convenient to have all the doctors in one place, it is perhaps not as significant in the choice as other criteria. Our main criteria was:

1. Whether the doctor appeared competent (purely subjective!)

2. At a teaching hospital vs. community hospital

3. Willing to take risks and do clinical trials or only prescribed from the NCCN guidelines

4. How well we hit off (Chemistry)

5. Communicative and collaborative

6. Distance from home

I realize that everyone is different and here in the north east we have some excellent choices of doctors and hospitals every few miles. Not every one is so fortunate. Especially when traveling long distances to see doctors, the fact that they are all in 1 place and operate as a team becomes much more important.

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Wife Dx: Jul/09. Age: 37. Size: 3cm. BRCA: -ve. Lumpectomy: Aug/09. Micromet 1/9 node. Chemo Start: Sep/09. E5103. DD ACB-> DD Abraxane (Taxol reaction). Zometa (S0307). Canadian Fraction Rads.