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Anal cancer that was missed diagnosed until stage 4.
I'm really shocked that the Mayo Clinic would not accept me as a patient. Is there an appeal process I am missing? I am a Louisiana resident, and Minnesota raised guy. This seems like death sentence.
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There are clinics that do proton radiation for anal cancer. Unless they have changed in the last couple of years, Mayo clinic does not use it for anal cancer. I went to San Diego to the proton center there and I am now cancer free. Please don't give up hope. Check around and hopefully you will find the help you need.
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3 ReactionsThank you!
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1 Reaction@geno5555 So sorry to read that your anal cancer was missed until it was stage 4. All the very best with your treatment.
So good to see @samclembeau clear up the confusion for you why you need to look elsewhere for treatment. This community is wonderful
It happen to me at stage 3 it was found to be colorectal cancer b y a surgeon.
@geno5555, that is a gut punch to not being able to get an appointment at Mayo Clinic, especially when you emotionally invested your last hope in finding answers. Unfortunately, Mayo Clinic receives more requests for appointments than available openings.
There are a few things that you can consider, like getting your doctor to submit the referral for you. Also check to make sure that your health insurance is accepted at the Mayo Clinic location to which you applied. https://www.mayoclinic.org/billing-insurance/insurance
You may also be interested in this related discussion:
- Anyone else have Anal cancer: What treatments did you have?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anal-cancer-3/
@geno5555, stage 4 anal cancer must've come as a shock. What treatment plan has been recommended for you?
@colleenyoung
3 months of chemo. Radiation and chemo for 1 month. Then I don’t know.
@colleenyoung
Have looked into MD Anderson ?
@geno5555
My treatment was 6 weeks of radiation and 2 weeks of radiation. I had stage III b rectal cancer.
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1 Reactionm.d. Anderson will (did) not do proton radiation for anal cancer. other cancers yes. I went there and was told only the negre protocol would be used. since my cancer was attached to my sphincter muscle I was not interested.
I took some looking, ( found that proton radiation helped to preserve most of the muscle) and finally found a center that would do it. you might look at independent proton centers rather that the large cancer centers to locate. There was only one on the west coast, but there may be more on the east coast where I see there are more proton centers. I don't know where you live so maybe one may be convenient for you.
I did 6 weeks radiation.