First Time Post - Recommendations for Oncologist at MD Anderson, Texas

[Jas]

Hello! My name is Jasmine and I am a caregiver and daughter to my mother, who has Stage 4 NSCLC. We currently reside in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

My mother, Jackie, was diagnosed in Spring 2015 as a Stage 1A, had an upper right lung lobectomy with removal of all attached lymph nodes. No follow-up chemo or radiation recommended. Then her cancer came back in the same right lung area in Fall 2018. This time, a rib biopsy and surgical removal of the muscle tissue in between her 4th and 5th rib was completed. In the beginning of 2019, she started chemotherapy and has gone through 3 different drug treatment cycles thus far. First, 6 rounds of Platinol and Taxotere cocktail administered every 4 weeks; then 4 rounds of Alimta administered every 4 weeks; then 3 rounds of Navelbine administered every week. She was doing well with the first cycle of treatment but her oncologist recommended against additional rounds of treatment after her 6th. The Alimta did not work at all as her CEA blood levels kept rising. She is now on Navelbine but her WBC levels have been so low after every treatment that she has skipped weekly treatment and had to do every other week, with an addition of daily booster shots to increase her WBC production. Her latest PET scan shows another growth on her right middle lobe, and activity on her pleura (the sac/film that covers her right lung). 

We have decided to get a second opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, Texas to redo all possible tests, including the molecular tests on her cancer cells to find targeted or clinical test drugs. I will be accompanying her early next month (December) yet I have no idea which Thoracic Oncologist to book an appointment with. In the meantime, I've requested the earliest appointment possible, but I would like any recommendations for oncologists from experience or word of mouth. I didn't have the time to nagivate this forum to find the pertinent information in regards to MD Anderson but I hope someone can help !  Thank you so much for reading this lengthy post!

https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/care-centers-clinics/thoracic-center/meet-our-team.html

Sincerely,

Jasmine

[Tom Galli]

Jas,

Welcome here and very sorry to learn of your mom's extended treatment for lung cancer. Although a Texan, I've never been referred or treated at MD Anderson so I can't offer a first hand recommendation, but I know many who've received both diagnosis and treatment. They've told me MD Anderson is a very large but very sophisticated cancer treatment center.  The large points to a feeling of being lost while sophisticated suggests practitioners and staff are world class.  Expect most of the disconnects while navigating the new patient paperwork shuffle. Once through that, testing and consultations should be a breeze.

As a forum moderator, our site cannot advocate for or suggest a doctor or provider. But, I suggest you do a Google search of the named practitioners on your link to assess reputation and patient treatment information. Here is a link for Joe's House recommended lodging for MD Anderson.  Joe's house is a non profit that helps folks who need temporary lodging while seeking cancer treatment.

Stay the course.

Tom

[Rower Michelle]

Hi Jasmine,

I’m so sorry you’re having to go through all of this with your Mom.  
As you know lung cancer can be very complicated, so many lung cancer oncologists now sub specialize in bio markers.  To help navigate all of this the GO2FOUNDATION has a service to help match patients to doctors across the country as well as clinical trials.  I’ve found them to be very useful. They are based in San Francisco.  Let us know what you learn.  
Good luck & safe travels.  
Michelle