Comparing Proton Beam Therapy in New Jersey and Boston
May 2, 2013 9:24 AM Subscribe
A friend of mine has a 15 month old son who was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma (brain cancer). He had a complete surgical resection of the tumor, and the next step is proton beam therapy. She has her choice between pursuing therapy at MGH in Boston, or in New Jersey at either Procare in Somerset or Robert Wood in New Brunswick. The New Jersey facilities would be more convenient for her and her family, but if the Boston facility is better, she'll make it work. Can you give me any information about how these three facilities compare in terms of both effectiveness of the therapy and patient experience, particularly with very young pediatric patients?
Best answer: Boston, for sure. I don’t have a lot of experience with their pediatric results, but my uncle was a surgeon there, as was my grandfather. I don’t think RWJ is considered even near the top of hospitals in the NYC/NJ area.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:51 AM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:51 AM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's not as much help as you're asking for, but I'm currently undergoing treatment at Mass General Gillette Center for Women's Cancer and I'm finding the whole MGH experience to be fantastic.
They're great with patient care, with questions, with any ridiculous things I need to know.
They have this website for more info.
I do know that for kids, MGH has a relationship with Ronald McDonald house in Boston.
posted by kinetic at 9:54 AM on May 2, 2013
They're great with patient care, with questions, with any ridiculous things I need to know.
They have this website for more info.
I do know that for kids, MGH has a relationship with Ronald McDonald house in Boston.
posted by kinetic at 9:54 AM on May 2, 2013
Best answer: I have a friend whose nephew had brain cancer (in remission, yay!). Proton beam therapy would have been an option for him, but fortunately it never got far enough for him to need it.
So this is what she had to say:
"From what little knowledge it have about proton beam therapy, I think the only facility in the northeast using it on kids is Dana farber through and agreement with MGH."
That said, zia is right. Boston Children's is probably THE BEST children's hospital in existence (I have taken my son there for ER visits and have had significantly better ER experiences with him there than elsewhere. Not the same as pediatric cancer, but also all I can offer you).
And according to the Boston Children's website, they too work with Dana Farber.
So assuming access to this particular therapy is the same at both MGH and Boston Children's (since it would seem both utilize Dana Farber's resources), I would hands down suggest Boston Children's over MGH for a patient that young.
I will post an update with what my friend thinks as well once she gets back to me.
(I also live very close to and work in Boston. I am more than 100% happy to offer anything I possibly can if you do come here.)
posted by zizzle at 9:58 AM on May 2, 2013
So this is what she had to say:
"From what little knowledge it have about proton beam therapy, I think the only facility in the northeast using it on kids is Dana farber through and agreement with MGH."
That said, zia is right. Boston Children's is probably THE BEST children's hospital in existence (I have taken my son there for ER visits and have had significantly better ER experiences with him there than elsewhere. Not the same as pediatric cancer, but also all I can offer you).
And according to the Boston Children's website, they too work with Dana Farber.
So assuming access to this particular therapy is the same at both MGH and Boston Children's (since it would seem both utilize Dana Farber's resources), I would hands down suggest Boston Children's over MGH for a patient that young.
I will post an update with what my friend thinks as well once she gets back to me.
(I also live very close to and work in Boston. I am more than 100% happy to offer anything I possibly can if you do come here.)
posted by zizzle at 9:58 AM on May 2, 2013
Zizzle is right about Children's being one of the best, but they don't offer proton beam therapy.
They DO work with Dana Farber, but Dana Farber works with the Mass General program, just to clarify.
So the only Boston proton beam therapy is offered at Mass General.
posted by kinetic at 10:05 AM on May 2, 2013
They DO work with Dana Farber, but Dana Farber works with the Mass General program, just to clarify.
So the only Boston proton beam therapy is offered at Mass General.
posted by kinetic at 10:05 AM on May 2, 2013
AHA!
Some clarification from my friend:
"Well, what you WANT is farber. The children are treated at farber, but they stay at children's.
Your friend can actually request a referral through farbers website."
So if the child is effectively being treated at Farber whether through MGH or Children's, but staying at either of those facilities, hands down Children's for nursing staff, administrative personnel, etc. if that can be arranged.
If that's not possible, then MGH will be a perfectly good choice.
posted by zizzle at 10:07 AM on May 2, 2013
Some clarification from my friend:
"Well, what you WANT is farber. The children are treated at farber, but they stay at children's.
Your friend can actually request a referral through farbers website."
So if the child is effectively being treated at Farber whether through MGH or Children's, but staying at either of those facilities, hands down Children's for nursing staff, administrative personnel, etc. if that can be arranged.
If that's not possible, then MGH will be a perfectly good choice.
posted by zizzle at 10:07 AM on May 2, 2013
Please don't confuse Boston's Childrens' Hospital with the MGH Hospital for Children. Two separate entities. If your insurer or doctor is recommending MGH you will most likely stay at the MGH HFC. that beingsaid MGH has been evaluated to be the # 1 hospital in the whole of the USA.
posted by Gungho at 10:17 AM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Gungho at 10:17 AM on May 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
Yeah, to clarify.
Your friend's child would ultimately be treated at Mass General in the MGH Pediatric Proton Beam Therapy Program and those doctors would guide the treatment.
Children's Hospital does work with Dana Farber, but Dana Farber would still send the child to the Mass General program, which has their own treatment team.
Neither Children's Hospital not Dana Farber offers Proton Beam Therapy; only Mass General does, and they have a pediatric program, so I would say her best bet is to directly work with them.
And I would completely skip considering the other hospitals. MGH is apparently the best in the country.
posted by kinetic at 10:44 AM on May 2, 2013
Your friend's child would ultimately be treated at Mass General in the MGH Pediatric Proton Beam Therapy Program and those doctors would guide the treatment.
Children's Hospital does work with Dana Farber, but Dana Farber would still send the child to the Mass General program, which has their own treatment team.
Neither Children's Hospital not Dana Farber offers Proton Beam Therapy; only Mass General does, and they have a pediatric program, so I would say her best bet is to directly work with them.
And I would completely skip considering the other hospitals. MGH is apparently the best in the country.
posted by kinetic at 10:44 AM on May 2, 2013
Response by poster: That's a pretty hefty unity of answers. Does anyone -- this is a stretch, I realize -- Does anyone know (or know of) a pediatric Neuro-oncologist with some skill in ependymoma who is affiliated with Dana Farber or MGH?
posted by KathrynT at 10:57 AM on May 2, 2013
posted by KathrynT at 10:57 AM on May 2, 2013
I work in oncology clinical trials and it looks like my institution (an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center) has worked on cooperative group trials for pediatric ependymoma with Dr. Susan Chi and Dr. Mark Kieran.
posted by oh really at 1:46 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by oh really at 1:46 PM on May 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Holy shit, oh really, that is incredible. Thank you.
posted by KathrynT at 2:20 PM on May 2, 2013
posted by KathrynT at 2:20 PM on May 2, 2013
Unreal small world, I guess. I just came back from seeing my doctor at MGH Cancer Center and he said Nancy Tarbell is the best there is, he'd send his kids to her in a heartbeat.
posted by kinetic at 2:47 PM on May 2, 2013
posted by kinetic at 2:47 PM on May 2, 2013
Response by poster: Updating this: they're going to MGH. Simulation starts in 2 weeks, and actual therapy on 6/3. Once she started talking to people at the various centers, she says the choice was as obvious as you all have made it out to be. Thank you, one and all.
posted by KathrynT at 7:29 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by KathrynT at 7:29 PM on May 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by zia at 9:40 AM on May 2, 2013