gail Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Friend's dad just had a CT for a spot on the lung. When my lc was found, I was already under an oncologist's care because of the breast cancer, so I just did what he told me, went where he sent me. So here is my question: Which doctor did you see next after the CT scan? Surgeon? Pulminoligist? Oncologist? And those of you in Phila: what surgeon did you see, and which hospital? Would you recommend them? I just want to give her some info if needed. gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Gail- Oops!! Don't know where my first post went!! My primary doc was the one who ordered the CAT scan and found the cancer. She then referred me to a pulmonologist who did the bronchoscopy and other testing on me. He then referred me to an oncologist with the results of the testing he did. Good Luck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 My family doctor referred me to a pulmonologist and, in turn, the pulm. to a surgeon.....next oncologist and finally radiation oncologist. In Philadelphia......FoxChase and the U of P are good. Sorry to hear about your friend, Gail. How are you doing lately? School? Son? You must be busy, busy, busy......but not too busy to help your friend. Not sure my input is of any use. Kasey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiredmom959 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 My mom was in the hospital; a pulmonologist first, then when it was definitely determined to be cancer, the oncologist. Between the two, they should let you know if a surgeon is an option I would think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recce101 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 I would think whichever doctor ordered the CT scan should make the referral, and most likely it would be to a pulmonologist. In my case, our family physician (internal medicine) ordered a chest x-ray, then based on that set up my appointment with a pulmonologist, who ordered a thoracentesis and CT scan, then based on that set up my appointment with a thoracic surgeon. By the time of my exploratory surgery we had developed a list of oncologists recommended by our friends and family physician, and we matched that with the surgeon's recommendations after he confirmed cancer. So the only appointment we made on our own was with the oncologist, and that was pretty easy since it turns out we knew his parents from a political campaign we'd helped with 20 years earlier! Aloha, Ned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Gail, Col's was found kind of by accident. An eye doctor saw an abnormality, ordered an MRI, next thing you know we're running to Jefferson because they said that she had a brain tumor. Meanwhile they're running all kinds of tests and scans and having about 50 millioin Dr.s in and out of our room. My mind moves from this is just a benign tumor to this is gonna be a whole lot worse than that. Once they removed the brain tumor and confirmed cancer of lung origin. Then they assigned us a radiology oncologist and a hematology oncologist. I should probably look up what the heck the difference is. ANyway, that's the way it went for us, kind of a whirl wind of activity. Throughout Chemo and radiation Col had any chance she wanted to move the treatments a little closer to home so as not to have to fight the Schuylkill every time she was getting treatment. But she was so comfortable with everyone there that she wanted to stay with them for everything. Fine with me, I'll drive her wherever she's comfortable, and frankly, we've had nothing but good things to say about everyone at Jefferson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat127 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Seems to differ for everyone a little bit anyway. I agree with the idea that whoever ordered the CT scan will likely bring on board the next needed Dr. With Kelly, her idiot primary care (another story for another day) brought in the thoracic surgeon after the CT and he then did the media and bronch to get some tissue biopsies. Once he found the contralateral node involvement, then we went and found the oncologist. (And with lung cancer you wouldn't have a hematology oncologist, those folks specialize in blood-related cancers like leukemia. This is a solid tumor cancer and would be handled by a medical oncologist who oversees everything and handles the drug aspect of treatment, then the radiation aspect of treatment would be handled by a radiation oncologist - just to clear up the question by JB ) Now we are back with the thoracic surgeon and in the words of the medical oncologist, he is 'taking a back seat' while the surgeon does his thing. Seems that either a pulmonolgist or a thoracic surgeon would be the likely next Dr. called in for your friends case. I'm also of the school of thought that you can't get an oncologist on board too soon though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Thanks Cat...I must have been looking at some other doctor's jacket. but yes we have the med onco, who handled the chemo and now the tarceva, and radio onco who checks in every once in while to see how things are, and just for fun, we check in with the neurosurgeon Dr. Andrews, cause he's fun. Best of luck gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat127 Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 No prob JB, thought I would comment in case anyone else had a similar sort of question. It really does take a team, doesn't it? Through all of this my sister never once has even met a pulmonologist, and her primary diagnosed her with COPD/emphysema over 4-5 yrs ago (hence my 'idiot' comment) and for the record, he is no longer her primary, now one of my childhood friends is! And yes, good luck to your friend Gail, it is nice to be able to at least help someone out a bit when they are first thrown into this insanity, we all remember how overwhelming those first few weeks were! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce u Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Hi Gail Mine was discovered by accident on chest x-ray. Family doctor then referred me to thoracic surgeon after CT scan. Surgeon felt it was too dangerous to do a biospy and PET scan was inconclusive. I met with Oncologist after surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Hi Gail, Sorry to hear about your friend... First Pulmonary, Dr. Alimar, he was recommended from our PCP and he is at Virtua in Voorhees ( but should have used the ones from Cooper as they all work together) Then I saw an Onchologist Alexandre Hageboutros, M.D. http://www.cooperhealth.org/content/Can ... x3mem_id=8 Then we had a fabulous Thoracic surgeon from Cooper… Dr. Vincent Latano http://www.xoova.com/provider/10234260_ ... HgodHG0GrA Pulmonary at Cooper below Stephen Akers, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Thaddeus Bartter, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Jonathan Kass, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Roy Levinson, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Ramya Lotano, M.D. Cooper University Physician Critical Care, Pulmonary Diseases Stuart Mest, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Melvin Pratter, M.D. Cooper University Physician Pulmonary Diseases Ramya Latano is Dr. Vincent Latano’s wife. Besides the fact that they saved Joel’s life… I like the fact that every Wed. a group of at least 2 each. Pulmonary, onochologist and thoracic surgeons get together to discuss cases. So this is just no ones doctors opinion. Dr. Alex (we call him that) and Dr. Vincent Lotano were both written up as top Docs in New Jersey. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 Gail: In my case, I had a perfectly healthy lung in the xray taken for my annual checkup in June and a complete white out in September. They found the cancer(adenocarcinoma) cells in the fluid but dx and staging was not simple. I was referred to a pulmonologist who didn't feel he could definitively determine anything with a surgical procedure. Even at MD Anderson, they went back and forth deciding if I need a thoracic surgeon or a medical oncologist. Don't know if your friends Dad's spot is a tumor or a nodule. Seem like the nodules are pesky even for top notch cancer doctors but I wound up with the medical oncologist, chemo but no surgery. I'd take the hospital referrals from Kasey if you want Phila and put yourself in the hands of a team. My medical oncologist was the one who finally nailed the IIIB lung cancer after further pathological consultation using the slides from my infusion. It's all so individual. Good luck to your friend and her Dad. Judy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LovesLife Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Hi Gail - sorry to hear about your friend's dad. My story is similar to Bruce - I had CT, PET scan not conclusive, and straight to thoracic surgeon for surgery. I never had any pre-testing other than PFT and didn't have an oncologist due to the fact I was staged 1A. Best to your friend and her family. Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 thanks all for your input. I told her about my post and she was very happy. I have my own medical team at Pennsylvania Hospital, but I wanted her to hear options. Will let you know the outcome. gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 thanks all for your input. I told her about my post and she was very happy. I have my own medical team at Pennsylvania Hospital, but I wanted her to hear options. Will let you know the outcome. gail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I actually was sent to the surgeon first my Primary Dr. sent me there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloesmom Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Mine was an accidental find by my breast surgeon, who referred me to a thoracic surgeon. Thoracic then ordered PET, pulmonary function tests, etc. Never have seen a pulmonologist, but after surgery, surgeon said to see oncologist, which I already had because of the breast cancer. Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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