Cancer Treatment Centers of America

• By Desi
• Posted June 4, 2007 at 12:27 pm
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I personally haven't dealt with ctca, but my best friend eventually took her father there when being treated for colon cancer. She said it was a wonderful place to get the treatments and that the nurses and doctors were angels compared to the hospital they dealt with at first. She said they took a lot of the burden off of her family and that the center even had a hotel to put her mom up in when she needed to stay there.

The Center was also their second opinion and that is who they decided to go with, but I don't know anything about their lung cancer treatments.

Like I said, I haven't been there but everything I heard from her was very positive and thankfully her father is fully recovered and has been in remission for almost a year. Hope that helps a little bit.

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• By raspberry
• Posted June 4, 2007 at 3:10 pm
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Following are four different opinions I've gotten regarding CTCA:

Our oncologist thinks that they promise big things and are willing to throw any treatment at the cancer that you want, regardless of whether it actually will do any good or not.

Another patient that I have spoken with thought that his friend should have come to our oncologist first and he is worried that it is too late for his friend because he wasted precious time at CTCA.

My former minister thought that it was a horrible shame that CTCA offered false hope to one of our members. They made it sound like they would have the magic answer to his cancer after he had been treated for some time by another oncologist. He died shortly after.

I personally think their slick TV commercials make people think different outcomes are possible through them that are not. Read their disclaimers at the bottom of the commercials.

I've given you four different opinions from my experience, my own included. I actually have not run across anyone in our area that had a positive to say about CTCA.

No judgment passed -- just opinions passed along. If you already have Sloan-Kettering involved, you've got one of the best to be found.

Best wishes
Razz

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• By cad1223
• Posted June 4, 2007 at 4:45 pm
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Thanks so far for the insight on CTCA...I find each opinion very interesting. It is so tough when you are trying to help save someone's life and you want the best for them. I appreciate the opinions greatly!

Cheryl

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• By m0m0
• Posted June 4, 2007 at 4:48 pm
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Hi,

My co-worker told me about them about their claims to cure terminal cancers. I can't verify if their claim is true or now. I've brought books endorsed by the CTCA and when I showed the book the the palliative care nurse she said don't spend too much money on them. The nurse said they give patients treatments that they don't know if would work and they charge alot of money. Although she didn't say it is all bougus what they say on the comercials but I can tell that she doesn't agree w/ their approach to cancer. As far as what I know about them is that they use alternative treatments to treat cancer, nutrition, herbs etc. I didn't get a good recommendation from the nurse but I just want to put out her view and I don't have much of an opinion about them since I don't know much.

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• By LouellaRobarge
• Posted June 5, 2007 at 8:56 am
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Had a very distrubing incident with CTCA. My husband had contracted a staff infection from the hospital where his original surgery took place and when CTCA found out he had the infection they wouldn't take him. After we had made all the arrangements etc a nurse called me one evening and told me that he couldn't come. She was very rude and very cold- I was very upset and asked her why and she said something like they couldn't put their reputation at risk. Of course I was crying because I was so disappointed. Then she said, and this is a direct quote, "Ya,ya I know he is the love of your life and everything but we can't treat him " After this incident, even when they found out about her comments and called to say they would take him, we decided not to go there. Since that time I have learned they do like to take patients that might give them a higher success rate and then I also have talked to patients who really liked the CTCA. Incidently, three different hospitals took my husband even tho' he had the staff infection. Guess you have to draw your own conclusions. Good luck with where ever you go. Lynne

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• By Chum
• Posted June 5, 2007 at 9:19 am
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You already are going to the best - MSKCC. If you want a second opinion, go to another comprehensive cancer center - Fox Chase in Philadelphia would be my choice, but you have lots of others to choose from. I've only heard a few positive things about CTCA and lots of negative things.

A new liver treatment was disclosed this past week. Not sure it works with mets to the liver, but does work remarkably well with liver cancer. Check out Nevaxar (sorafenib). I know Mayo is looking at this and some others as well. Check out a possible clinical trial and go to the place that will enroll your dad. SCLC is a beast, but if you can shut down the liver mets, you have a better shot.

Courage

Chum

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• By Bette_Tx
• Posted June 5, 2007 at 1:24 pm
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Hi Cheryl,


I'm not familiar with any of these cancer centers. I do know that if you can find place like the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Tx which specializes in all kinds of cancer, it would be a great place to go. They can give experimental drugs that are not available at other places. I would think Sloan Kettering would be equivalent to MD Anderson.


Best wishes,


Bette

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• By faulcont
• Posted June 5, 2007 at 10:37 pm
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Last July, I went to CTCA for a second opinion after my surgery for stage IIIA NSCLC. Their recommendation was different from the docs at home and I decided to go with CTCA. I found the place to be extremely compassionate and professional. I wasn't entirely happy with my case manager but I loved the doctors and the nurses. I felt the care I got was far superior to what I received in the hospital where I had my surgery. The Tulsa facility is beautiful and you can stay either in very nice rooms in the main building or stay in a nearby hotel for a nominal amount. The staff is warm and caring and the food is good. You have the chance to meet many others who are going through the same thing you are which is an instant support group. Nearly a year later I am still in contact with friends I made while there.

We talked with many people who had gone to CTCA with advanced cases after they had been pretty much abandoned by their doctors at home and they were doing well. I'm sure CTCA doesn't cure everyone and I don't think they claim to...but they do offer hope and continued treatment to those who want it. If there is nothing further they feel they can do though, they will offer palliative care and they say so. I know this from my acquaintance with other patients there.

If I need further treatment I will definitely return to CTCA.

Tracy

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