Any experience with CTCA?

tclem
tclem Member Posts: 22
in Esophageal Cancer #1
We are in the process of getting a referral for a 2nd opinion and perhaps a more aggressive treatment plan. In the northeast, Sloan-Kettering has a 6 - 8 week wait for appointments and you can't be under treatment yet. We are now looking into the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Philadelphia. Anyone ever dealt with them?

Comments

  • jgwright
    jgwright Member Posts: 242
    #2
    I haven't had any direct experience with them. However, when I was diagnosed with what was THOUGHT to be stage IV cancer, my daughter, my brother, and one of my close friends all said that I should check them out. Why? An aggressive regimen of ADVERTISING. CTCA is a "for profit" conglomeration of treatment centers, who will give you Cadillac treatment at Cadillac prices for as long as the money holds out.

    There are several notes from people who say that they used to work for them, but left due to ethical considerations. They also have a high "woo-factor" in that they are willing to try all sorts of alternative treatments, as long as you are willing to pay for them, and any actual studies of whether these treatments work "need not apply".

    If you are stage I or II and you have really good insurance or lots of money, they will probably do you just fine. However when it comes to cure rates, they seem to be no better than anyone else, and perhaps a little below the averages.

    Again, I have NO personal experience with them, this is just what I determined through interviews and massive Internet searches.

    --Jerry
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #3
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • chemosmoker
    chemosmoker Member Posts: 501
    #4
    CTCA not the first time this has come up here!!!
    Others here have posted about CTCA and answered your exact questions;

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/210546

    That is the link to the discussion HERE about CTCA.

    Best of luck and let me know about this insurance ONLY issue so many speak of as a problem getting in the door to even be seen at CTCA, as I am very curious!

    PS-I am with William; There is NO better place to be treated if you are in that area (or not!) than to just get to UPMC. THEY are THE EXPERTS and pioneers in the field of EC, period. Remember, This is NOT JUST a cancer, this is EC, an as you well know, our survival rates are not too great so BE CAUTIOUS. 2nd and 3rd opinions are a GREAT idea, but WHERE you go matters a TON with EC! I have been to NEITHER of these centers, so I am unbiased, as far as personal opinions or ethical issues. I believe in alternative treatments to, so.

    God bless,

    Eric
  • tclem
    tclem Member Posts: 22
    #5
    unknown said:

    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

    Thank you
    Sorry for being "of few words". I have an infant running around and am trying to research all of this in my "free" time.

    I thought I posted a bit of background in that I am researching options for my 59 yr old father who has been classified as Stage IV EC with affected nodes in the stomach. I was just thrown into this world last week so that is really ALL I know. He lives in a remote area in upstate NY so he has to travel 1.5 hours to his current treatment hospital. We were given the name of CTCA by a friend of a friend and since it was only 3 hours away, figured we'd give it a shot. I currently have an appt. scheduled with an oncologist in NYC that used to work at SK on December 1st. Again, I'm just trying to figure out where best he should go. His current doctor wants to start chemo/radiation the Monday after Thanksgiving so that doesn't give us a whole lot of time to investigate.

    I appreciate finding this forum and being able to learn more. Thank you for your response.
  • Heeran
    Heeran Member Posts: 171
    #6
    CTCA
    When my mom was first diagnosed, I was doing a ton of research and call CTCA due to the advertisements I've seen on TV. Have have people around the clock where you can call in. They were so caring and told me all about their facilities until I told them that my mom had Medicare. Then the lady could not get me off the phone fast enough. Her tone completely changed and stated that they don't take Medicare and that I should find something locally. Other than the endoscopy center who pushed my mom's appointment out from may to aug. because they were soooo busy, CTCA made me feel like crap. Even if the lady had a caring sound and said, "I'm so sorry but she is not eligible to get treatment here" that would have been better.

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