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Posted

Every single person I've talked to, and everything I've read on various cancer forums have recommended the exact same oncologist and surgeon every single time.

So someone at 31 flavors said MD Anderson is run by some sort of Mengele?

Thanks, Simone.

 

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Posted
On 4/25/2025 at 12:31 PM, royiv said:

I had a cardiac ablation done about five years ago. They insert the catheter that they use for the procedure through your groin area. Watching the tech shaving my groin was awkward as fuck.

I've had 3 procedures where the guidewire is inserted into an artery from the groin. The last one the girl in pre-op shaved the pubes and then in the operating room one of the nurses is like "yeah that won't do" and goes to get a new razor. She must have been doing something else at the same time because I laid there for what felt like 10 minutes in a cold OR completely covered by blankets except my d&b on full display and in danger of frostbite. 

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Posted
22 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I would prefer to use an established care treatment and not any research trial. Save the research trial for someone that has fewer options.

Lots of people get raped at MD Anderson while they’re under anesthesia.

Actually, they don’t. But I can see it on a message board even though it’s an unsubstantiated rumor that seems patently problematic.  How many patients did the unknown respected doctor know that were pushed into research trials instead of standard care?  How do we know that the trial was not one of several options, and the MDA physician was not pushing the research trial, but just presenting every option available?  How do we know what the type of cancer was?  Was it carcinoma or sarcoma or lymphoma or leukemia or neuroblastoma?   Was it metastatic? Was the standard care a smaller percentage survival rate compared to small (but promising ) data from a new research study?

We don’t have even the basic information to consider the “ MDA pushes you to research trials “ question, let alone have the information to give some kind of marginally informed opinion.

And I’m NOT saying that Eddie isn’t aware of all that, nor am I insinuating that Eddie jumped to a conclusion. I’m just using his post verbiage as a springboard for the discussion. The opinion he gave is obviously the correct general observation.

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Posted
So I have to ask an uncomfortable question that hopefully doesn't upset anyone. 
I’m doing some treatment planning for the future. I’ve been using the Mayo Clinic for my medical care for years. Mayo is the absolute gold standard for medical facilities. It’s incredible for many many reasons.  
However, we may need better proximity for care in the future. It relates to the particular procedures that need to be done. That leaves MD Anderson as a potential natural alternative choice to Mayo. 
However, I have a highly respected medical relative that cautioned me against using MD Anderson for cancer care due to the particular philosophy and approach they often use for cancer treatment, and the fact they sometimes are too cavalier about doing research oriented treatments. It’s the same reason Lance Armstrong chose a facility other than MD Anderson for his cancer treatment. 
Thoughts on MD Anderson? I know it’s highly respected, but see above concerns. Does anyone have relatives with deep cancer treatment experience who can provide a perspective on MD Anderson?

I’m a Pediatric Oncologist…this is an overgeneralization at best. No entire institution has a collective approach that’s this much more or less aggressive or experimental than its peers. Individual docs or divisions for specific diseases, sure.

MIA, you’re in great hands. What’s the tumor diameter? Any plans for preop or postop radiation?
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Posted
2 hours ago, VinceYoungScores said:


I’m a Pediatric Oncologist…this is an overgeneralization at best. No entire institution has a collective approach that’s this much more or less aggressive or experimental than its peers. Individual docs or divisions for specific diseases, sure.

MIA, you’re in great hands. What’s the tumor diameter? Any plans for preop or postop radiation?

It's big. 9 cm x 5 cm at the tricep of the elbow. Dr Williams wanted to amputate immediately. Went to MDA to see Dr Araujo the next week 

Got the Borg implant Friday, and I start AIM chemo tomorrow.

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Posted
On 4/25/2025 at 6:53 PM, Dbeasy said:

So I have to ask an uncomfortable question that hopefully doesn't upset anyone. 

I’m doing some treatment planning for the future. I’ve been using the Mayo Clinic for my medical care for years. Mayo is the absolute gold standard for medical facilities. It’s incredible for many many reasons.  

However, we may need better proximity for care in the future. It relates to the particular procedures that need to be done. That leaves MD Anderson as a potential natural alternative choice to Mayo. 

However, I have a highly respected medical relative that cautioned me against using MD Anderson for cancer care due to the particular philosophy and approach they often use for cancer treatment, and the fact they sometimes are too cavalier about doing research oriented treatments. It’s the same reason Lance Armstrong chose a facility other than MD Anderson for his cancer treatment. 

Thoughts on MD Anderson? I know it’s highly respected, but see above concerns. Does anyone have relatives with deep cancer treatment experience who can provide a perspective on MD Anderson?

I went through the ringer and MDAnderson and did a clinical trial.  But multiple docs thoroughly explained the standard of care (i.e., the normal. accepted treatment protocol for my type and stage of cancer) and how the trial deviated from it.  (BTW, my trial was to use extra chemo instead of radiation to avoid some potentially horrifying side effects of radiation).  Pretty sure that's part of informed consent, which is required.

Posted
36 minutes ago, Basil said:

I went through the wringer and MDAnderson and did a clinical trial.  But multiple docs thoroughly explained the standard of care (i.e., the normal. accepted treatment protocol for my type and stage of cancer) and how the trial deviated from it.  (BTW, my trial was to use extra chemo instead of radiation to avoid some potentially horrifying side effects of radiation).  Pretty sure that's part of informed consent, which is required.

Thanks. I’m actually the type of person who is probably more open to experimental treatments than the typical person, making me think MD Anderson might be a good consult option. 

Posted

You need to go somewhere you are comfortable, confident in the treatment, and is willing to get second opinions. My wifes ENT here, when we went over the first biopsy said that he would go to Memorial Sloan Kettering or MDA for cancer, and to Mayo if there was uncertainty in diagnosis or treatment. Since we were familiar with MDA from our years living in Houston, it was an easy choice for us. 

Good luck @Dbeasy , I think it all depends on your diagnosis - there are only 1 or 2 places on the planet who have a treatment for my wifes cancer. But if you have a more common type then there are certainly other choices. I will say, maybe again, that we met several people during radiation, and there were at MDA because they were misdiagnosed in their first treatment, and therefore the treatment was not successful; and they were at MDA with a new diagnosis, then going through an entire second treatment regimen. One of the things that is on some of the MDA advertising is a slogan "where you go first for treatment matters" - we have come to believe that. 
If nothing else, it is certainly worth getting a second opinion to confirm diagnosis and treatment. 

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