My mother was diagnosed at a community urology practice based on ultrasound, cystoscope, and CT scan. Mass is about 4.8 x 3.5 x 2.5 and seems localized, no disease in upper tract, no lymphadenopathy, etc. and that’s about all we know at this point. Thank goodness Mom agreed to seek care at a better facility rather than stay in the community setting. I advocated for her to visit MD Anderson in TX, but she read an article by a doctor and decided she only wanted to see him. Dr. Chamie at UCLA, which has a BC program and Dr Chamie seems very well qualified, though not nearly as experienced as the department chair, Dr Litwin. I just found out UCLA is not listed as a NCI-designated cancer center. I’m worried we haven’t actually landed on a top-notch facility after all.
Can anyone speak to this? Also she seems to have lost interest in any second opinions. Does it matter very much at this point? Am I overreacting to keep pushing her to start arranging a second opinion from a NCI-designated cancer center?
When members on the forum refer to “cancer centers,” do they mean NCI-designated cancer centers or just any major hospital with a cancer program? I am confused about what to look for, but I understand where you get evaluated and first treated sets the trajectory of the entire illness.
Thanks to all for participating and sharing your stories and knowledge here.
—Kim