Best cancer doctors in San Francisco East Bay for just diagnosed
July 21, 2019 4:58 PM Subscribe
My Cantonese friend was just diagnosed with "adeno carcinoma of the left pleural space". She needs to quickly get to a cancer specialist, but because of the language barrier she and her family have trouble navigating the medical system. She has Medicare and MediCAL. Two questions:
1. What specialist should be seeing to get chemotherapy, or more info to make the decision to go on hospice?
2. Where should she go for a second opinion?
She was told to get to a specialist ASAP via her Pcp, and if the pleural effusion came back (as it will within a week or so, the doctor said) go to Summit Emergency room where they have a chest surgeon who can operate.
I am not certain if there is an underlying cancer (possibly cancer inside the lung?) that spread to the pleural space, or if the pleural space cancer is the only cancer. She went to the emergency room because she could not breathe, and was diagnosed with a pleural effusion (fluid in the space between the lung and the chest wall). They withdrew the fluid, analyzed it and diagnosed the adenocarcinoma of the left pleural space.
I wasn't present to speak with the doctor myself, but I spoke with him by phone last night. He says my friend (whom I call "Grandma") will die within six months without chemotherapy and other treatment, and might live a year and a half with that treatment.
Please help me find the right doctors quickly, if you can. I know little about cancer and treatments. I am, however, a native english speaker who has a lot of experience navigating the medical system (for another friend who has a traumatic brain injury), so if I have a direction toward the right specialists I may be able to help Grandma and her family. Thank you in advance.
She was told to get to a specialist ASAP via her Pcp, and if the pleural effusion came back (as it will within a week or so, the doctor said) go to Summit Emergency room where they have a chest surgeon who can operate.
I am not certain if there is an underlying cancer (possibly cancer inside the lung?) that spread to the pleural space, or if the pleural space cancer is the only cancer. She went to the emergency room because she could not breathe, and was diagnosed with a pleural effusion (fluid in the space between the lung and the chest wall). They withdrew the fluid, analyzed it and diagnosed the adenocarcinoma of the left pleural space.
I wasn't present to speak with the doctor myself, but I spoke with him by phone last night. He says my friend (whom I call "Grandma") will die within six months without chemotherapy and other treatment, and might live a year and a half with that treatment.
Please help me find the right doctors quickly, if you can. I know little about cancer and treatments. I am, however, a native english speaker who has a lot of experience navigating the medical system (for another friend who has a traumatic brain injury), so if I have a direction toward the right specialists I may be able to help Grandma and her family. Thank you in advance.
Also I should add: If her family can get her on a supplemental insurance plan (assuming she's retirement age, since you call her 'grandma') it can potentially really save them a lot of money on the hospitalization.
posted by extramundane at 5:36 PM on July 21, 2019
posted by extramundane at 5:36 PM on July 21, 2019
Best answer: To address the language barrier issue, hospitals are required to provide professional interpreter services. Most often this is done using an interpreter on the phone, but with proper notice it may be possible to have an in-person interpreter for the really important stuff. This is definitely high priority to ask about when selecting a facility /clinic. I am not very familiar with CA hospitals but are there any known to employ more Cantonese-speaking nurses/staff?
She should also definitely seek a consultation with palliative care, which is for anyone facing a serious illness and does not mean forgoing treatment. Palliative care docs and NPs are typically really great at helping patients and families determine what the goals of care really are— more time even if it means difficult treatment? Getting to a particular life event (eg grandchild’s wedding, graduation)? Prioritizing comfort even at the expense of time?
I am so sorry you and your loved ones are facing such a difficult diagnosis, and wish you the best as you navigate all of its complexities.
posted by charmcityblues at 12:25 AM on July 22, 2019
She should also definitely seek a consultation with palliative care, which is for anyone facing a serious illness and does not mean forgoing treatment. Palliative care docs and NPs are typically really great at helping patients and families determine what the goals of care really are— more time even if it means difficult treatment? Getting to a particular life event (eg grandchild’s wedding, graduation)? Prioritizing comfort even at the expense of time?
I am so sorry you and your loved ones are facing such a difficult diagnosis, and wish you the best as you navigate all of its complexities.
posted by charmcityblues at 12:25 AM on July 22, 2019
Best answer: See if you can get a referral from the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco and/or help for her there. It is the only Chinese Hospital in the US apparently. There are people on staff who speak Cantonese, and they treat poor and elderly folks. Hope that will be a good resource for you and your friend. Best of luck!
posted by Bella Donna at 5:26 AM on July 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Bella Donna at 5:26 AM on July 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Apologies, meant to include a link to the hospital itself. Here you go.
posted by Bella Donna at 5:33 AM on July 22, 2019
posted by Bella Donna at 5:33 AM on July 22, 2019
Response by poster: Thank you for your help. Grandma got the medical care she needed. She died in October. She was 82. I'm so glad I got to know her for the last 10 years of her life.
posted by KayQuestions at 2:34 AM on December 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by KayQuestions at 2:34 AM on December 19, 2019 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
UCSF may also be a good option: https://www.ucsfhealth.org/clinics/thoracic_surgery_and_oncology/
Probably better to have a surgeon on the oncology team do the operation rather than a general thoracic surgeon. It can make a difference in something like ovarian cancer, in which a gynecological oncologist (surgeon) is preferred.
posted by extramundane at 5:32 PM on July 21, 2019