MD Anderson

Adam26
Adam26 Member Posts: 125
in Anal Cancer #1 
We are going to get a second opinion with the Royal Marsden in London and possibly a third with BUPA. I've heard a lot about MD Anderson in Texas, that it's supposed to be the best around etc.

Does anyone know how the process would work for U.K nationals to seek a referal to MD Anderson? We wouldn't want to fly all the way over to Texas just for a consultation where they tell us the exact same thing as yesterday. What would be great is if our team can send all of the results and findings to MD Anderson and then they give us a consultation based on those findings, perhaps over the phone? I don't know if that would be an option? Obviously then if they recommended an alternative form of treatment we would be happy to fly over there and go ahead with it.

Comments

  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #2
    MD Anderson

    Martha is a great contact on this Board.  She has given many people sound advice for years on this Board.  If I remember correctlyMartha has mentioned Dr. Cathy Eng who is with MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Eng specializes in treating anal cancer patients. Below are links to MD Anderson and Dr. Eng.

     

    http://www.mdanderson.org/?cmpid=Google_BL-Center-X-B-E_BL-MDACenter-Brand-BrandTerms_md_anderson_ppc&gclid=COf6oIfzy8YCFY6EaQod7KkOuQ

     

    http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-types/anal-cancer/index.html

     

    http://faculty.mdanderson.org/Cathy_Eng/Default.asp

     

    Hope this helps.

    Mike

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #3
    mxperry220 said:

    MD Anderson

    Martha is a great contact on this Board.  She has given many people sound advice for years on this Board.  If I remember correctlyMartha has mentioned Dr. Cathy Eng who is with MD Anderson in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Eng specializes in treating anal cancer patients. Below are links to MD Anderson and Dr. Eng.

     

    http://www.mdanderson.org/?cmpid=Google_BL-Center-X-B-E_BL-MDACenter-Brand-BrandTerms_md_anderson_ppc&gclid=COf6oIfzy8YCFY6EaQod7KkOuQ

     

    http://www.mdanderson.org/patient-and-cancer-information/cancer-information/cancer-types/anal-cancer/index.html

     

    http://faculty.mdanderson.org/Cathy_Eng/Default.asp

     

    Hope this helps.

    Mike

    Adam & Mike

    Thanks, Mike, for your kind words.  I appreciate that very much!

    Adam, Dr. Eng is a top-notch doctor in the treatment of anal cancer, both recurrent and metatstatic.  It certainly won't hurt to investigate the possibility of your Mom's doctor doing a phone consult with her if possible. 

    I met Dr. Eng in person at the conference I attended in March and she was very personable and genuinely interested in hearing my story and that of the other two presenters.  I walked away feeling that she is very passionate about finding better treatment for this disease, and in the meantime, helping those who are diagnosed with it.  While it's impossible for me to say with certainty that she would be agreeable to doing a phone consult with your mom's doctor, I certainly would give it a try.  Please keep us posted and good luck.

    Martha

     

     

  • Adam26
    Adam26 Member Posts: 125
    #4
    Thank you Mike & Martha

    Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

    I think a phone consultation would be a really good idea. We are already being referred now for a 2nd and 3rd opinion at two London hospitals....well we are working on the 3rd one, should hopefully be confirmed tomorrow.

    How would a phone consultation work do you know? Would it be our oncologist here in England with this lady in Texas, or would she perhaps speak to us? Nto sure if our oncologist would feel insulted if we insisted on him speaking to another oncologist, although maybe that is a practice done regularly?

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #5
    Adam26 said:

    Thank you Mike & Martha

    Hi guys, thanks for your replies.

    I think a phone consultation would be a really good idea. We are already being referred now for a 2nd and 3rd opinion at two London hospitals....well we are working on the 3rd one, should hopefully be confirmed tomorrow.

    How would a phone consultation work do you know? Would it be our oncologist here in England with this lady in Texas, or would she perhaps speak to us? Nto sure if our oncologist would feel insulted if we insisted on him speaking to another oncologist, although maybe that is a practice done regularly?

    Adam26

    I'm not sure how the process works for a phone consultation.  I would think that you or your doctor would make a request by contacting Dr. Eng's office to find out how best to do this.  I know it is common practice, so there is surely a protocol.  If your mom's current oncologist is worth his salt, he will not be offended by this request.

  • Adam26
    Adam26 Member Posts: 125
    #6
    mp327 said:

    Adam26

    I'm not sure how the process works for a phone consultation.  I would think that you or your doctor would make a request by contacting Dr. Eng's office to find out how best to do this.  I know it is common practice, so there is surely a protocol.  If your mom's current oncologist is worth his salt, he will not be offended by this request.

    Hi Martha,
     
    Firstly, thanks

    Hi Martha,

     

    Firstly, thanks for all your help.

     

    We're planning on ringing Dr Eng at 3pm U.K time which if I'm right is 9am in Texas.

     

    Do you have any advice for us before ringing, if you see this message? For example, what questions we could ask? I'm hoping they'll agree to the consultation by phone with mum, stepfather and myself. Maybe even Skype. So we'll be ringing basically to confirm they can do it and under what conditions, I guess we'll have to then ring our team and have them send all the details over.

  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
    #7
    Adam26 said:

    Hi Martha,
     
    Firstly, thanks

    Hi Martha,

     

    Firstly, thanks for all your help.

     

    We're planning on ringing Dr Eng at 3pm U.K time which if I'm right is 9am in Texas.

     

    Do you have any advice for us before ringing, if you see this message? For example, what questions we could ask? I'm hoping they'll agree to the consultation by phone with mum, stepfather and myself. Maybe even Skype. So we'll be ringing basically to confirm they can do it and under what conditions, I guess we'll have to then ring our team and have them send all the details over.

    Phone consultation

    Hi Adam,

    I would just write down all you know, from original diagnosis, stage etc, treatment & duration, post treatment investigations (just what you know of them including current findings), & what treatment is proposed.

     

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #8
    pializ said:

    Phone consultation

    Hi Adam,

    I would just write down all you know, from original diagnosis, stage etc, treatment & duration, post treatment investigations (just what you know of them including current findings), & what treatment is proposed.

     

    Adam

    I'm sure you will be asked specific questions regarding your mom's cancer history, so just make sure you have everything in hand when you make the call--all significant dates, specifics about all treatment she has already had, including any complications, path report of recent biopsy, and her oncologist's recommendations for further treatment.  I think that's all you can do to prepare for the call.  I hope it will go well, but don't be disappointed if you do not get any answers on the initial call.  I'm sure Dr. Eng would request that copies of everything be sent to her if she is willing to look into your mom's case before giving any recommendations.  Good luck.

  • Adam26
    Adam26 Member Posts: 125
    #9
    Thanks

    Thank you guys, we have the first referral done, now the second on its way and we'll get in contact soon with MD Anderson.

    Does anyone know how much we would be looking to pay if we had to go to Texas for treatment?

    Do second opinions ever provide different approaches and treatment with anal cancer?

  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #10
    Adam26 said:

    Thanks

    Thank you guys, we have the first referral done, now the second on its way and we'll get in contact soon with MD Anderson.

    Does anyone know how much we would be looking to pay if we had to go to Texas for treatment?

    Do second opinions ever provide different approaches and treatment with anal cancer?

    Cost

    My insurance paid most of my costs, but if I remember correctly the total without insurance would have been around $120,000 US in 2008-2009.

    Mike

  • Adam26
    Adam26 Member Posts: 125
    #11
    mxperry220 said:

    Cost

    My insurance paid most of my costs, but if I remember correctly the total without insurance would have been around $120,000 US in 2008-2009.

    Mike

    Thank you Mike for your

    Thank you Mike for your help.

    We did ring them (wow, what a contrast in accents from Texan to English!), unfortunately they won't give us a consultation unless we go to Texas and see them in-person.

    We have two different oncologists to see for a second and third opinion in London next week, I think Monday and Friday. They use treatment options like Brachytherapy and Tomotherapy, I don't know if they would use that with my mum. Her residual tumour is certainly small enough. Maybe our current hospital doesn't use Brachytherapy which is why they didn't offer it, I dont know. I would love it if they offered us this over an APR, love it. I would give anything in the world to see it work on my mum.

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