Where to go around Huntsville, Alabama

Several of you have mentioned going to a breast cancer center. We
have options of staying local in Huntsville, or going to either
Vanderbilt University (100 miles), UAB (University of Alabama in
Birmingham - 100 miles) or Emory University in Atlanta (200 miles).
Given that her suspected tumor is between 2-5 cm, and I think that
would mean Stage II, it seems that a normal treatment may involve
surgery, chemo and possibly radiation. Would you all advise of going
to a hospital 100 miles away? Could they direct the treatment from
Vanderbilt and have it done in Huntsville at our hospital (except for
the surgery of course)? Any advice would be appreciated. WHile we
still don't know if it's cancer, I want to have a plan ready to go if
we get the bad news tomorrow or Tuesday.

Thanks,

Jeff

Jeff wrote:
> Several of you have mentioned going to a breast cancer center. We
> have options of staying local in Huntsville, or going to either
> Vanderbilt University (100 miles), UAB (University of Alabama in
> Birmingham - 100 miles) or Emory University in Atlanta (200 miles).
> Given that her suspected tumor is between 2-5 cm, and I think that
> would mean Stage II, it seems that a normal treatment may involve
> surgery, chemo and possibly radiation. Would you all advise of going
> to a hospital 100 miles away? Could they direct the treatment from
> Vanderbilt and have it done in Huntsville at our hospital (except for
> the surgery of course)? Any advice would be appreciated. WHile we
> still don't know if it's cancer, I want to have a plan ready to go if
> we get the bad news tomorrow or Tuesday.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
>
I don't know about the US but having local cancer clinics directed from
a major regional cancer centre is how things work on the UK for most
patients I think. Oncologists from the centre run a weekly clinic in
each of several local hospitals around each region.

In our case the local hospital dealt with my wife's early-stage
treatment, but when she got to stage IV she was taken on at the centre
(Christie Hospital), as it was only 30 miles away. The local hospital
didn't have radiotherapy machines so she had to go to a larger one (or
the centre) for that.

If travelling to the nearest radiotherapy machine is a problem, that
might be a tipping factor in a decision whether to go for lumpectomy or
mastectomy, people in rural districts tend more to the latter (where the
clinical decision is finely balanced) if it means avoiding daily
radiotherapy.


Tim Jackson

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/heal...pecihqcanc.htm

Vanderbilt and University of Alabama are listed. If you wife has cancer (
and that has yet to be determined) shouldn't she have the best treatment
available despite whatever stage she is ?

As I have mentioned before the prognosis for younger women is a direct
result for the initial treatment.....If you wife need radiation they will
probably recommend a place locally since 100-200 miles is way to far to
travel every day.

Also at her age I would interested in any clinical trials which would not be
available locally. But the ultimate decision would be with you wife. Best
of luck with the results tomorrow.

"Tim Jackson" <tim@tim-jackson.co.uk> wrote in message
news:46916132$0$8710$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader02.plus.net...
>>
....

>
> If travelling to the nearest radiotherapy machine is a problem, that might
> be a tipping factor in a decision whether to go for lumpectomy or
> mastectomy, people in rural districts tend more to the latter (where the
> clinical decision is finely balanced) if it means avoiding daily
> radiotherapy.

Someone I knew in the Highlands had to travel well over 100 miles to
Edinburgh for radiation so she stayed in a B&B and enjoyed the city during
her treatment. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience, she wouldn't have made
the effort to spend time in the capital if she hadn't had bc.

Mary

On Sun, 8 Jul 2007 22:45:02 -0400, "alex" <alex@noemail.ctv> wrote:
>
>http://health.usnews.com/usnews/heal...pecihqcanc.htm
>
>Vanderbilt and University of Alabama are listed. If you wife has cancer (
>and that has yet to be determined) shouldn't she have the best treatment
>available despite whatever stage she is ?
>
>As I have mentioned before the prognosis for younger women is a direct
>result for the initial treatment.....If you wife need radiation they will
>probably recommend a place locally since 100-200 miles is way to far to
>travel every day.
>
>Also at her age I would interested in any clinical trials which would not be
>available locally. But the ultimate decision would be with you wife. Best
>of luck with the results tomorrow.
>

A lot of hospitals have free hostel sections where people can stay for
radiation treatments.

I've missed you guys. My 89 year old mom was out walking three weeks ago
when an SUV backed out of a driveway over her. She had broken ribs, a
degloved calf (don't even ask) and head injuries. So I'm living in
another city, mostly at the hospital, with no internet and only
occasional visits home. She was in excellent shape for her age and was
recovering, even walking with a walker and supervision, but now seems
to have bleeding in her brain. Some good days but generally on a
down-hill slope.

I certainly know a lot more about health care and hospitals than I knew
before and spend a lot of time getting patients drinks of water or
juice, talking to alzeimers patients and encouraging my mom to eat (like
a baby - just one more little bite!).

Luckily my sister and I can use her apartment.

Marilyn

"Jeff" <jeffntate@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:1183919154.656556.213030@c77g2000hse.googlegr oups.com...
> Several of you have mentioned going to a breast cancer center. We
> have options of staying local in Huntsville, or going to either
> Vanderbilt University (100 miles), UAB (University of Alabama in
> Birmingham - 100 miles) or Emory University in Atlanta (200 miles).
> Given that her suspected tumor is between 2-5 cm, and I think that
> would mean Stage II, it seems that a normal treatment may involve
> surgery, chemo and possibly radiation. Would you all advise of going
> to a hospital 100 miles away? Could they direct the treatment from
> Vanderbilt and have it done in Huntsville at our hospital (except for
> the surgery of course)? Any advice would be appreciated. WHile we
> still don't know if it's cancer, I want to have a plan ready to go if
> we get the bad news tomorrow or Tuesday.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
I've had occasion to review medical records of a number of patients from the
Anniston area. They often go to Kirklan Clinic (UAB) in Birmingham for part
of their work-up, then return to Anniston for radiation therapy. I have a
favorable impression of the radiation oncologist there, based only on the
records. I would bet something similar could be worked out with Vanderbilt
or UAB, whereby oncologists at the University could follow her and she could
receive any needed radiation treatment and quite possibly chemo in
Huntsville. (There are facilities at Gadsden, too, but I think Anniston's
are larger and strongly suspect there would be more in Huntsville than in
Gadsden.)

On Jul 8, 11:25 am, Jeff <jeffnt...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Several of you have mentioned going to a breast cancer center. We
> have options of staying local in Huntsville, or going to either
> Vanderbilt University (100 miles), UAB (University of Alabama in
> Birmingham - 100 miles) or Emory University in Atlanta (200 miles).
> Given that her suspected tumor is between 2-5 cm, and I think that
> would mean Stage II, it seems that a normal treatment may involve
> surgery, chemo and possibly radiation. Would you all advise of going
> to a hospital 100 miles away? Could they direct the treatment from
> Vanderbilt and have it done in Huntsville at our hospital (except for
> the surgery of course)? Any advice would be appreciated. WHile we
> still don't know if it's cancer, I want to have a plan ready to go if
> we get the bad news tomorrow or Tuesday.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff

Any results today????

Alex