San Diego Cancer Center

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lisa42
lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Does anyone have any knowledge or experience with the San Diego Cancer Center? (2 locations in Vista and Encinitas in north San Diego county)
How about Dr. Derek Helton? I'm not sure yet where he practiced before joining this cancer center.
I keep having twists in my bid to try to change oncologists. I had the experience of my insurance not allowing me to change to another I wanted at an NCI cancer center (UCSD/Moores Cancer Center). I had been unhappy with my current oncologist. BUT... I just found out today that my medical group will no longer be contracting with my current oncology group or current onc. effective end of August. So I will now be having to change oncologists anyway! I found out the new oncology group my medical group will be contracting with is San Diego Cancer Center. They do have an onc who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, which my current office does not. Also, they seem to have a very neat approach- they have a wellness and healing center, where they offer things such as massages, yoga, healing bowls (drums), and nutritional counseling. I am impressed! I've been in contact with Serrana from this board who also lives in my area & she's actually familiar with the center. In fact, her lung specialist at UCSD has recommended the onc Dr. Helton. I'm just wondering if anyone from the San Diego area has anymore info or experience with this place or this doctor.

Thanks in advance-
Lisa

Comments

  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #2
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    bumpin' it to the top
    Hi,

    Me again- I'm just replying to bump this to the top in case anyone who knows of the San Diego Cancer Center in Encinitas, CA or Vista, CA and/or Dr. Derek Helton. I ended up changing over to them. I'll have my last appt. w/ my current onc. tomorrow & then I'll be seeing Dr. Helton for the first time next week Tuesday.

    Lisa
  • Fight for my love
    Fight for my love Member Posts: 1,522 Member
    #3
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    lisa42 said:

    bumpin' it to the top
    Hi,

    Me again- I'm just replying to bump this to the top in case anyone who knows of the San Diego Cancer Center in Encinitas, CA or Vista, CA and/or Dr. Derek Helton. I ended up changing over to them. I'll have my last appt. w/ my current onc. tomorrow & then I'll be seeing Dr. Helton for the first time next week Tuesday.

    Lisa

    Hi Lisa,
    Sorry that I don't
    Hi Lisa,

    Sorry that I don't know any information about this center.But I am replying because I want to help to put this topic on the top of the discussion board,so more people can see it.Hopefully anyone who knows any information about it will reply you very soon.Good luck with your trip to San Diego Cancer Center.
  • Nana b
    Nana b Member Posts: 3,030 Member
    #4
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    I can ask
    If you like, I can ask my oncologist in Fresno for a recommendaton? He found me a liver speciliast in San Diego but he was not in my network, probably very good and expensive... Never the less, the other liver specialist in San Francisco that he referred me to was awesome. I'm sure they all know each other.


    Just let me know.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #5
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    thanks Nana
    Thanks Nana-

    I'm already going for sure to the San Diego Cancer Center due to my medical group telling me that's where I'm going. It is annoying for them to make the call and I could try to fight it, but I have heard good things from a couple of people- I just wondered if anyone else knew anything of them (to let me know if they thought I should avoid them & press on with an appeal to go elsewhere or not). I think I'll know better after next week because I have my first appt w/ the new oncologist there. I also have a consultation appt w/ the onc from UCSD who I've consulted w/ before-that finally did get approved after initially being denied. That way I can coompare the two and what they propose, etc.
    Thanks for your offer, though.
    Hope you're doing well, yourself- take care!
    Lisa

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