Need Melanoma Specialist in MAINE!

We travel to Dana-Farber in Boston …. we live close to Portland. We work with a local Pediatric Oncologist (our son is only 14) and she recently said that the scans in March can be done at Maine Med in Portland and then sent to DF for evaluation. 

If I were him, I would start out at Dana-Farber. It is only a 2 hour trip and why not see the "best of the best" when it is so close? The American Cancer Society will even provide discounted ticket pricing for the Downeaster train service. So if he has to go there 2-3 times a year, he can make an adventure out of it. 🙂

Maybe there are amazing Melanoma specialists here in Maine, but I just don't think our local medical options can hold a candle to what Boston offers.

We travel to Dana-Farber in Boston …. we live close to Portland. We work with a local Pediatric Oncologist (our son is only 14) and she recently said that the scans in March can be done at Maine Med in Portland and then sent to DF for evaluation. 

If I were him, I would start out at Dana-Farber. It is only a 2 hour trip and why not see the "best of the best" when it is so close? The American Cancer Society will even provide discounted ticket pricing for the Downeaster train service. So if he has to go there 2-3 times a year, he can make an adventure out of it. 🙂

Maybe there are amazing Melanoma specialists here in Maine, but I just don't think our local medical options can hold a candle to what Boston offers.

HI there,

I know  Boston is a long drive from Portland, but an easy one..all highway. I live in Central NH and drive to Boston . I am seeing the doctors at Mass General and now awaiting SLNB results as a new diagosee.

If you can handle the drive it may be worth it to you. Just try to make your appointments after 11 AM and you will avoid the busiest of the morning rush hour.

Best of luck,

Joan

HI there,

I know  Boston is a long drive from Portland, but an easy one..all highway. I live in Central NH and drive to Boston . I am seeing the doctors at Mass General and now awaiting SLNB results as a new diagosee.

If you can handle the drive it may be worth it to you. Just try to make your appointments after 11 AM and you will avoid the busiest of the morning rush hour.

Best of luck,

Joan

HI there,

I know  Boston is a long drive from Portland, but an easy one..all highway. I live in Central NH and drive to Boston . I am seeing the doctors at Mass General and now awaiting SLNB results as a new diagosee.

If you can handle the drive it may be worth it to you. Just try to make your appointments after 11 AM and you will avoid the busiest of the morning rush hour.

Best of luck,

Joan

HI there,

I know  Boston is a long drive from Portland, but an easy one..all highway. I live in Central NH and drive to Boston . I am seeing the doctors at Mass General and now awaiting SLNB results as a new diagosee.

If you can handle the drive it may be worth it to you. Just try to make your appointments after 11 AM and you will avoid the busiest of the morning rush hour.

Best of luck,

Joan

Hi KT,

While I don't live in Maine, you can't go wrong with either MGH or Dana Farber. They are both leading melanoma centers and have some amazing doctors. I am seen at MGH and have received a second opinion from Dana Farber – they both recommended the same treatment & I'd be comfortable with either place. I would definitley recommend making the trek to Boston.

Good luck!

Kate

Hi KT,

While I don't live in Maine, you can't go wrong with either MGH or Dana Farber. They are both leading melanoma centers and have some amazing doctors. I am seen at MGH and have received a second opinion from Dana Farber – they both recommended the same treatment & I'd be comfortable with either place. I would definitley recommend making the trek to Boston.

Good luck!

Kate

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center also has an excellent Melanoma program.  All of the big three (MGH, DF & BIDMC) collaborate extensively especially in Melanoma.  They are part of Harvard School of Medicine.  Email me through my profile if you would like the contact info for BIDMC.

Jerry from Cape Cod

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center also has an excellent Melanoma program.  All of the big three (MGH, DF & BIDMC) collaborate extensively especially in Melanoma.  They are part of Harvard School of Medicine.  Email me through my profile if you would like the contact info for BIDMC.

Jerry from Cape Cod

To my knowledge, the only doctor in Maine who deals extensively with melanoma patients is Dr. Fred Aronson of the Maine Cancer Center in Scarborough. Although very knowledgeable in melanoma, he is not a "melanoma specialist" perse, because the MCC doesn't have the resources to be a melanoma center. In fact, Maine has no melanoma center. Many people in southern Maine begin with Dr.  Aronson, and then go on to one of the Boston centers for additional opinion, follow-up, or advanced treatment. Hopefully your brother will never need advanced treatment, but if he ever did, he would have to go to Boston or another melanoma center. The only stage 4 treatments done at MCC are biochem, DTIC, and a variety of brain metastases treatment. No trials.

My brother saw both Dr Aronson and Dr Atkins of Beth Israel from the beginnings of his diagnosis 6 1/2 years ago. When he remained NED for 5 of those years, he did almost all of his follow-up with Dr Aronson. They developed a good relationship, and although my brother has to go to Boston now for the advanced treatments, he continues to see Dr Aronson often. This has been very helpful to him, to have someone close-by .

For your brother, the up-side of going to Scarborough is that it is only a few miles from Portland,.The down-side is that the Maine Cancer Center isn't a melanoma center, although the people there are in contact with Boston specialists.  

To my knowledge, the only doctor in Maine who deals extensively with melanoma patients is Dr. Fred Aronson of the Maine Cancer Center in Scarborough. Although very knowledgeable in melanoma, he is not a "melanoma specialist" perse, because the MCC doesn't have the resources to be a melanoma center. In fact, Maine has no melanoma center. Many people in southern Maine begin with Dr.  Aronson, and then go on to one of the Boston centers for additional opinion, follow-up, or advanced treatment. Hopefully your brother will never need advanced treatment, but if he ever did, he would have to go to Boston or another melanoma center. The only stage 4 treatments done at MCC are biochem, DTIC, and a variety of brain metastases treatment. No trials.

My brother saw both Dr Aronson and Dr Atkins of Beth Israel from the beginnings of his diagnosis 6 1/2 years ago. When he remained NED for 5 of those years, he did almost all of his follow-up with Dr Aronson. They developed a good relationship, and although my brother has to go to Boston now for the advanced treatments, he continues to see Dr Aronson often. This has been very helpful to him, to have someone close-by .

For your brother, the up-side of going to Scarborough is that it is only a few miles from Portland,.The down-side is that the Maine Cancer Center isn't a melanoma center, although the people there are in contact with Boston specialists.  

Hi KT,

Your brother has a really great sister in you!  I am near Bangor and although Boston is 4+ hours away, that's where I go, too., and due to their expertise, I wouldn't have it any other way!   Most (if not all) of the Maine contingent on this board go there for the reasons that have already been stated.   Fortunately because of your brother's status (NED, I assume), the visits won't be too often; he is very fortunate for that. Good luck to both of you!

Best,

ChristineL

Hi KT,

Your brother has a really great sister in you!  I am near Bangor and although Boston is 4+ hours away, that's where I go, too., and due to their expertise, I wouldn't have it any other way!   Most (if not all) of the Maine contingent on this board go there for the reasons that have already been stated.   Fortunately because of your brother's status (NED, I assume), the visits won't be too often; he is very fortunate for that. Good luck to both of you!

Best,

ChristineL

Marc S. Ernstoff, MD

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Hematology/Oncology One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03756 Phone: (603) 650-5534 Fax: (603) 650-7791  Email: [email protected]   Institution Affiliations: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Hematology/Oncology Program Melanoma/Skin Cancer Program Norris Cotton Cancer Center Prostate & Genitourinary Cancer Program Medical School: MD, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 1978 Residency: Bronx Municipal Medical Center & The Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, Internal Medicine, 1978-81 Fellowship: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, Medical Oncology, 1981-84 Board Certification: Medical Oncology, 1989 Internal Medicine, 1981 Specialties: Cancer / Oncology Hematology / Oncology Melanoma / Skin Cancer Program Prostate & Genitourinary Cancer Program Joined Staff in 1991 Practice Note: Genitourinary Cancer, Melanoma

I wish you best

Jimmy B

Marc S. Ernstoff, MD

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Hematology/Oncology One Medical Center Drive Lebanon, NH 03756 Phone: (603) 650-5534 Fax: (603) 650-7791  Email: [email protected]   Institution Affiliations: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Hematology/Oncology Program Melanoma/Skin Cancer Program Norris Cotton Cancer Center Prostate & Genitourinary Cancer Program Medical School: MD, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 1978 Residency: Bronx Municipal Medical Center & The Hospital of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, Internal Medicine, 1978-81 Fellowship: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, Medical Oncology, 1981-84 Board Certification: Medical Oncology, 1989 Internal Medicine, 1981 Specialties: Cancer / Oncology Hematology / Oncology Melanoma / Skin Cancer Program Prostate & Genitourinary Cancer Program Joined Staff in 1991 Practice Note: Genitourinary Cancer, Melanoma

I wish you best

Jimmy B