This is a news story, but the link to the original study is at the bottom of it. It looks at outcomes from major institutions vs small regional hospitals. I suspect you already know what the outcomes are. When you consider that there are a large number of oral cancer patients that are treated as outpatients by ENT doctors that are not even looked at by this study, the situation is likely even worse.

http://oralcancernews.org/wp/prereferral-head-and-neck-cancer-treatment/

Hi, Brian -
I'm not a dental professional & couldn't sign up for the drbicuspid site, so I couldn't read the article.
Any other way I could read it?

Marlene

I can pretty much guess that the morbidity rate is substantially higher in regional/local hospitals than at a CCC or CC. Going to a CCC or CC for treatment has pretty much been a mantra around here and there are enough long term survivors to back that up.

In all fairness many smaller institutions do their best to follow the NCCN Oncology Practice Guidelines, which is the Gold Standard.

@Gary -
This is another link from OCF that I can't link to. (I've linked to others.) Site says I have to register to purchase/belong to the bicuspid site, & I must be on its list of professions. Don't want to belong to the site, just read the article. Don't know what the problem is. any ideas?

Marlene

Hi, Everybody,
I was also unable to link to this site.

No one can link to that site unless you are a subscriber. Many professional sites do this and many are fee based. Brian may have posted it in the news section of the OCF site, which you should all visit from time to time.

Check this out:
http://oralcancernews.org/wp/prereferral-head-and-neck-cancer-treatment/

I am one of the few who was turned down by a CCC or the big time cancer hospitals for not having insurance. So instead I ended up at a County hospital here in Houston. But all of my ENT team are products of MD Anderson or Memorial Hospital here and they just come into the county Hospital 3 times a week. I feel comfortable with them but when I see commercials for CCC I feel like I might get the short end. It can be nerve racking but I just hope that my ENT team is as good as their jackets portray.

Nathan

That is a very good point that Nathan makes. many small hospitals or county hospitals offer exceptional care, especially if they are teaching hospitals (as many county hospitals are). I have a close friend who is a 8 year survivor of small oat cell lung cancer (5%, 5 year survival rate) who was treated at the county hospital, in my area, and she is doing very well. My head and neck surgeon served his residency there after going to UCSF Medical School.

If you are at a smaller hospital, with no other options, we are here to educate you on how to be your own advocate and also what the NCCN Oncology Practice Guidelines are so that you can have some confidence that you are getting the highest level of care.

Not all CCC's will turn you down for no insurance, especially if they are publicly funded.

Hi, Gary -
Google is my home page. I get the OCF news feed on it. It's a great way to keep up-to-date.

Marlene

I was also not treated in a CCC. Surgery at Emory, Radiation at Griffin, Port and PEG (Griffin) and Chemo in Lovejoy, PET in Fayetteville.
The important point is that all of these talked with each other, were up to date and had new equipment (rad). So it was the surgeon who said you need radiation. I do not see the point it traveling a great distance just to get a standard chemo, that really can be done anywhere.
So it can work, but you also have to be proactive (easily said!) or have someone with a medical degree in your corner (if you are lucky!!). In general if at all possible a CCC is the way to go.

M