Recommendation on best Cancer Centers in Florida

@dsh33782
That is fantastic to hear Don! Thank you for sharing with us. Did you receive any immunotherapy and targeted therapy?

Thanks again for the support in journey.

Thank you. We will consider Majo as well. We are now discussing options. Very interesting the article about the second opinion. Regardless what we do I think I want to do that as reassurance that we are doing the best we can

@veromdf
Hi Veronica, no I did not get any immunotherapy, just chemo and radiation.
Don

To veronmdf;
Mayo (Jacksonville) and Moffitt Cancer Center are the two best for treatment. You are closer ( I believe)
to Moffitt so you should call there & make an appt. They are very good about expediting you as far as testing and treatment. I go for follow up endoscopies after my EC because my Gastroenterologist Dr. can also do "cryoablation" if my Barrett's flares up. The really GOOD news is they are opening a "Proton" treatment center this summer which is the absolute best way to target and get rid of the cancer! I had that treatment for 6 weeks in Knoxville, Tn. which at the time was only 1 of 40 in the country. It goes directly to the tumor(s) kills them and stops! Doesn't go through the rest of the body causing harm to other organs and the side effects are much less! If you have any questions I would be glad to talk with you. I have been cancer free for 3 years now. Go for my endoscopy check up April 30th. Best to you and yours.

I was treated at UM Health/ Sylvester by dr Alan Livingstone he’s done over a thousand esophagectomies. I am back to normal after having two tumors removed from stomach and esophagus. Highly reccomend him.

Good morning @veromdf. I have been under the care of Moffitt Cancer Center since 2019 with 7 locations in the Tampa Bay area. I also go to Yale Smilow (CT) since 2021 during the 5 mos in the summer when my husband and I can both work remotely. I have gotten additional opinions from MD Anderdon & Sloan Kettering. I have 2 stage 4 cancers so I take my ongoing continuous care seriously but I live my life first.

What I mean is continue to do your research. Find out how serious the cancer is, staging, does there need to be any surgery? While there are plenty of ways to find out that one has cancer, it is the “what next” that is just as important. I think this is why getting second opinions is so important. Hearing different treatment options is vital. Traveling can be a hassle and both frequency and duration of treatments need to be known. What kind of immediate side effects can one expect? Is there something going on that the “big dogs” are the people that is needed. Compare what you are hearing and ask why there are differences. Frankly when I started my journey back in 2019, I never thought my situation was complicated. Gosh I was wrong as I now put my 4th major speed bump behind me. I am just stopping weekly chemo treatments that started in December. I kept working part-time and always drive myself for my 5-8 hr infusions. I am flying up north tomorrow and all my care will be transferred till November. Yale will double-check everything but will follow Moffitt’s recommendations. I will say that there is something in the industry that is called “Standard of Care” or SOC. Moffitt thinks of cancer treatment as both a science and an art. I have been told by the other institutions that they would not have done or do what Moffitt is as it is not SOC. But those doctors cannot argue with the results, and neither can I. Just keep asking questions, and being on this site are great steps in this journey. Good luck!