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Melanoma specialty centers

Forums General Melanoma Community Melanoma specialty centers

  • Post
    Happy_girl
    Participant

    I'm looking for opinions…. Sloan Kettering or Dana Farber?  Is one better than the other?  What are your opinions?

Viewing 17 reply threads
  • Replies
      SABKLYN
      Participant

      Both are superior.  I (as you can tell from my response to your last post) am being treated at Memorial.   I could not say enough regarding  the professionalism, team approach to care an available resources.  It mat come down to proximity in which case, you can't  make a bad choice.  If Coit is your surgeon, you are Being treated by a world class surgeon.  If you go to Memorial, do you know who your oncologist would be?  

      SABKLYN
      Participant

      Both are superior.  I (as you can tell from my response to your last post) am being treated at Memorial.   I could not say enough regarding  the professionalism, team approach to care an available resources.  It mat come down to proximity in which case, you can't  make a bad choice.  If Coit is your surgeon, you are Being treated by a world class surgeon.  If you go to Memorial, do you know who your oncologist would be?  

      SABKLYN
      Participant

      Both are superior.  I (as you can tell from my response to your last post) am being treated at Memorial.   I could not say enough regarding  the professionalism, team approach to care an available resources.  It mat come down to proximity in which case, you can't  make a bad choice.  If Coit is your surgeon, you are Being treated by a world class surgeon.  If you go to Memorial, do you know who your oncologist would be?  

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        I'm actually from ohio- so I would be using them for a second opinion and possibly the actual surgery.

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        I'm actually from ohio- so I would be using them for a second opinion and possibly the actual surgery.

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        I'm actually from ohio- so I would be using them for a second opinion and possibly the actual surgery.

      Gene_S
      Participant

      Hello,

      Are you unhappy with your Ohio hospital?  We are also in Ohio and my husband had been referred to a surgeon (head, neck and throat) and then onto an oncologist.

      He was very pleased with his surgeon and his oncologist even has spoken and been viewed on you tube for his talk on melanoma.  They have a very good melanoma research department who even sent him to Cleveland Clinic for one of their clinical trials which he didn't make because of the ones in his liver being to large.  He started out at Stage III with a 10.5 mm deep tumor and progressed 2 years and 9 months later to Stage IV.  He was accepted into a clinical trial (at University) in March 2011 for IPI (Yervoy 10mg/kg) with GM-CSF (self injections).  He became NED on Oct. 2012 and dropped out of the trial on Dec. 2013.  He remains NED.

      If you would like anymore information perhaps we can talk by phone or email and you can always read more on his profile page.

      Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        That's where I am right now! :). I really like him… Just getting a second opinion.  

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        That's where I am right now! :). I really like him… Just getting a second opinion.  

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        That's where I am right now! :). I really like him… Just getting a second opinion.  

      Gene_S
      Participant

      Hello,

      Are you unhappy with your Ohio hospital?  We are also in Ohio and my husband had been referred to a surgeon (head, neck and throat) and then onto an oncologist.

      He was very pleased with his surgeon and his oncologist even has spoken and been viewed on you tube for his talk on melanoma.  They have a very good melanoma research department who even sent him to Cleveland Clinic for one of their clinical trials which he didn't make because of the ones in his liver being to large.  He started out at Stage III with a 10.5 mm deep tumor and progressed 2 years and 9 months later to Stage IV.  He was accepted into a clinical trial (at University) in March 2011 for IPI (Yervoy 10mg/kg) with GM-CSF (self injections).  He became NED on Oct. 2012 and dropped out of the trial on Dec. 2013.  He remains NED.

      If you would like anymore information perhaps we can talk by phone or email and you can always read more on his profile page.

      Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

      Gene_S
      Participant

      Hello,

      Are you unhappy with your Ohio hospital?  We are also in Ohio and my husband had been referred to a surgeon (head, neck and throat) and then onto an oncologist.

      He was very pleased with his surgeon and his oncologist even has spoken and been viewed on you tube for his talk on melanoma.  They have a very good melanoma research department who even sent him to Cleveland Clinic for one of their clinical trials which he didn't make because of the ones in his liver being to large.  He started out at Stage III with a 10.5 mm deep tumor and progressed 2 years and 9 months later to Stage IV.  He was accepted into a clinical trial (at University) in March 2011 for IPI (Yervoy 10mg/kg) with GM-CSF (self injections).  He became NED on Oct. 2012 and dropped out of the trial on Dec. 2013.  He remains NED.

      If you would like anymore information perhaps we can talk by phone or email and you can always read more on his profile page.

      Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Both Sloan and Dana are excellent options.  I am at Dana Farber and am on MK-3475 and have been on it for almost two years.  I live a mile away from Dana Farber, so it was an easy decision for me.  But if I had been kicked out of the trial for any reason and I was then going to have to look for a similar trial to get on that was located somewhere else, my next stop would have been Sloan.

      Good luck with everything,

      Laurie

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        Thanks so much for your thoughts!  I really appreciate them!

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        Thanks so much for your thoughts!  I really appreciate them!

        Happy_girl
        Participant

        Thanks so much for your thoughts!  I really appreciate them!

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Both Sloan and Dana are excellent options.  I am at Dana Farber and am on MK-3475 and have been on it for almost two years.  I live a mile away from Dana Farber, so it was an easy decision for me.  But if I had been kicked out of the trial for any reason and I was then going to have to look for a similar trial to get on that was located somewhere else, my next stop would have been Sloan.

      Good luck with everything,

      Laurie

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      Both Sloan and Dana are excellent options.  I am at Dana Farber and am on MK-3475 and have been on it for almost two years.  I live a mile away from Dana Farber, so it was an easy decision for me.  But if I had been kicked out of the trial for any reason and I was then going to have to look for a similar trial to get on that was located somewhere else, my next stop would have been Sloan.

      Good luck with everything,

      Laurie

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      I should also state that I have been with Dana Farber for 14 years and I have been very happy with my team.  They are all hard-working, kind-hearted, and always handle each of my situations with great care.  And the nurses….what can I say….all are so fantastic, thoughtful, and sweet.  I feel so lucky.

      Laurie

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      I should also state that I have been with Dana Farber for 14 years and I have been very happy with my team.  They are all hard-working, kind-hearted, and always handle each of my situations with great care.  And the nurses….what can I say….all are so fantastic, thoughtful, and sweet.  I feel so lucky.

      Laurie

      sweetaugust
      Participant

      I should also state that I have been with Dana Farber for 14 years and I have been very happy with my team.  They are all hard-working, kind-hearted, and always handle each of my situations with great care.  And the nurses….what can I say….all are so fantastic, thoughtful, and sweet.  I feel so lucky.

      Laurie

      Lil0909
      Participant

      Not sure where in Ohio you are, but I have met a lot of patients who come from Ohio to see my doctor in Pittsburgh at the Hillman Cancer Center with UPMC. Hillman actually is one of five melanoma SPOREs, ( specialized research program) in the country, so they definitely are aware of the new research.   If you do decide to do  interferon, which is what I'm on now,  I really think it would be easier to be treated closer to home.  Also, my Dr helped pioneer interferon for melanoma,  so he and his team have literally treated thousands of patients with interferon.  I think you would be in good hands here. This may read like I'm trying to convince you to come here,  but really I'm just trying to make you feel comfortable with a location closer to home.  I went for second opinion in Boston as I have family there and was willing to stay there for an extended period if that was the best option. The Boston onc actually said that I should get treatment in Pittsburgh and we are in great hands ( and his treatment opinion was the same as my Pittsburgh doctor). Feel free to message me if you want to discuss more! 

      Lil0909
      Participant

      Not sure where in Ohio you are, but I have met a lot of patients who come from Ohio to see my doctor in Pittsburgh at the Hillman Cancer Center with UPMC. Hillman actually is one of five melanoma SPOREs, ( specialized research program) in the country, so they definitely are aware of the new research.   If you do decide to do  interferon, which is what I'm on now,  I really think it would be easier to be treated closer to home.  Also, my Dr helped pioneer interferon for melanoma,  so he and his team have literally treated thousands of patients with interferon.  I think you would be in good hands here. This may read like I'm trying to convince you to come here,  but really I'm just trying to make you feel comfortable with a location closer to home.  I went for second opinion in Boston as I have family there and was willing to stay there for an extended period if that was the best option. The Boston onc actually said that I should get treatment in Pittsburgh and we are in great hands ( and his treatment opinion was the same as my Pittsburgh doctor). Feel free to message me if you want to discuss more! 

      Lil0909
      Participant

      Not sure where in Ohio you are, but I have met a lot of patients who come from Ohio to see my doctor in Pittsburgh at the Hillman Cancer Center with UPMC. Hillman actually is one of five melanoma SPOREs, ( specialized research program) in the country, so they definitely are aware of the new research.   If you do decide to do  interferon, which is what I'm on now,  I really think it would be easier to be treated closer to home.  Also, my Dr helped pioneer interferon for melanoma,  so he and his team have literally treated thousands of patients with interferon.  I think you would be in good hands here. This may read like I'm trying to convince you to come here,  but really I'm just trying to make you feel comfortable with a location closer to home.  I went for second opinion in Boston as I have family there and was willing to stay there for an extended period if that was the best option. The Boston onc actually said that I should get treatment in Pittsburgh and we are in great hands ( and his treatment opinion was the same as my Pittsburgh doctor). Feel free to message me if you want to discuss more! 

      ncdaniel
      Participant

      Have you looked at university of Michigan. They have a excellent cancer center with great people including a great melanoma oncologist.

      ncdaniel
      Participant

      Have you looked at university of Michigan. They have a excellent cancer center with great people including a great melanoma oncologist.

      ncdaniel
      Participant

      Have you looked at university of Michigan. They have a excellent cancer center with great people including a great melanoma oncologist.

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