How do I find a new oncologist? - 1255307

becky_seattle
Posts:2

I haven't visited GRACE in a long time, it's very nice to see familiar names.

I was diagnosed with NSLC 2 years ago.(stage IIIb) I had a lobectomy folllowed by 6 treatments of alimta/cisplatin. Since then, I've had alternate CT scans and XRays every 3 months. Nothing has reappeared, or at least nothing detected so far. It's that priceless phrase, NED. (Noxiously Ephemeral Dilemna? Nobody Ever Dictates? ah..No Evidence of Disease...)

At my last visit to the oncologist, he told me he's leaving his practice, so I need to find a new oncologist. I'd like advice about how to go about this. I live in Seattle, so there's a wealth of probably really great docs within arm's reach.

Here's a big part of my quesiton - when I was diagnosed, everything just went into high gear. Within 2 months of an ER doc spotting a suspicicous mass, I had all of the diagnostic workups and surgery. It was like being thrown on a fast-moving cattle car.

Now I have time to look around and select a path/doctor, but my disease is in a "watching things" stage. Add to that the fact that I can't just stop in to visit every oncologist in town...

Advice? How should I go about finding a new onologist?

Thanks, all.

Becky

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Reply # - April 1, 2013, 09:10 AM

JimC
Posts: 2753

Hi Becky,

Probably the first step would be to ask your current oncologist if he has any doctors he could recommend, or any institutions (other than his own) that you might want to consider. We never really had to look for an oncologist on our own, because the thoracic oncologist at the cancer center at our hospital, GRACE's own Dr. Hensing, was everything we could have asked for, and more. But if we had been looking, I would have looked up whatever profile his institution had, hoping to see that he concentrates on thoracic oncology as opposed to being a general oncologist. Not that there aren't wonderful general oncologists, but the practice is so complex and fast-developing that it's tough for a generalist to keep up with all the current knowledge. I would also look him up on Pubmed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ) to see if he's published in the field. Again, not having published doesn't mean he's not a good doctor, but publishing is an indication that he is knowledgeable about current research and developments in lung cancer.

You can also just google the doctor's name to see what comes up. There are rating websites for doctors, and though I don't put too much stock in them, sometimes you can get a little insight that way.

I would also recommend that anyone here on GRACE who has an oncologist in the Seattle area could chime in with their experiences.

Last but not least, my personal favorite oncologist in Seattle is a guy named Dr. Jack West, with whom you may be familiar. That's just my totally unbiased opinion :)

JimC
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Reply # - April 1, 2013, 01:06 PM

wadvocator
Posts: 79

Hi Becky,

We are in Seattle. Beside Dr.West, you might want to try SCCA (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance) website. There is a list of oncologists. The reason we chose SCCA before choosing a oncologist in SCCA is because we want to have access to cutting edge studies, doctors who keep up with the latest development, and an integrated and holistic approach. We have been very happy with the support received thus far.

Our Medical Oncologist is Laura Chow.

Let me know if there are additional questions I can help answer.

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