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Where is best place to go for second opinion for stage 4 pancreatic?
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Nov 28, 2023 | Replies (50)Comment receiving replies
I see that Massey Cancer Center is an NCI comprehensive cancer center, but isn't listed on the National Pancreas Foundation centers list as a pancreatic cancer center of excellence. UVA is listed, however. You might check these lists and see whether any other center offers more in your specific situation.
https://pancreasfoundation.org/patient-resources/npf-centers-of-excellence/#a9affc53146b669cb
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers
I'd like to add that not everyone can relocate to get medical treatment, and I get that. There are so many financial and logistical considerations, including job obligations, family finances, insurance coverage, etc. In my case, moving out of state could jeopardize our sons' college scholarships. However, there may be a way to do some medical travel--for example, driving an hour or two to get to appointments etc., staying in a hotel overnight as needed. We've done that in other instances (for example, my spouse's prostate cancer surgery and our son's clubfoot treatment), and while it's not inexpensive, it may be easier than moving altogether. Anyway, take a look at the lists and see whether it's worth trying to figure something out. If you absolutely can't leave Richmond, make a point to do a lot of research, ask a lot of questions, and advocate for yourself. Take advantage of every resource you can find.
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Something to point out concerning the National Pancreas Foundation and their list of centers of excellence vs the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and their list-
I met a representative from the National Pancreas Foundation at a Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day program. I was there representing PanCan.org in the role of Outreach Chair for a State affiliate. What I had suspected from reading the National Pancreas Foundation website was confirmed by their representative…their area of focus is more on issues of pancreatitis whereas PanCan.org is more of tumors, particularly PDAC of which 90% are this type and the lesser frequency pNET and PACC and other rare types. With PNET tumors,cohere is an advocacy group that is more specialized than PanCan.org for this type.
PanCan.org was the innovator of a revolutionary clinical trial method known as precision promise. Other cancers are adopting the method scientists connected with PanCan.org proposed and developed to obtain answers faster and at lower cost in conducting trials. PanCan.org has a list of these high-volume Comprehensive Cancer Centers that are members of the Precision Promise Consortium, most of which are NCI designated Centers of Excellence in Cancer Treatment. Oncologists and surgical oncologists at these institutions are opinion leaders in the field of pancreatic cancer treatment.
https://pancan.org/research/precision-promise/locations/
Another good link to centers that meet the criteria of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers of excellence-
NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER NETWORK MEMBERS
https://www.nccn.org/home/member-institutions