Dad just diagnosed...looking for doctor for 2nd opinion

Buster · New User Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 2

Hi everyone. My 72 year old dad was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. Unfortunately, I'm not happy with the care he has received to date. We don't know much (his urologist hasn't been answering our questions or spending much time with my dad, which is part of the problem.)

Here's what we know: Gleason score of 7 (but he didn't tell my dad what the component scores were), PSA of 150+. The urologist has told my father that the cancer has spread to lymph nodes, but not to bones. Urologist has started my dad on hormone therapy, but that's it.

I would like a referral to an oncologist or specialist in the field of prostate cancer. We are in Los Angeles, and I was thinking USC Norris would be the way to go, but I don't have any particular doctor there that I am familiar with.

Any advice, recommendations, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

Replicant · Moderator Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 161

Good for you--your dad is lucky to have you looking out for him.

You are probably better acquainted with the hospitals in LA than I am. I don't know anything about USC Norris. But I know that UCLA is highly ranked by US News & World Report. It's ranked #4 for urology in the U.S. and #8 in the US for cancer.
http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/best-hospitals/search.php?spec=ihqcanc&

Unless I knew something specific about USC (a particular doctor I wanted, for example) I'd probably lean towards UCLA. But that's just me.

Best wishes.
_________________
Replicant

Dx Feb 2006, PSA 9 @age 43
RRP Apr 2006 - Gleason 3+4, T3a, N0M0, pos margins
PSA 5/06 <0.1, 8/06 0.2, 12/06 0.6, 1/07 0.7.
Salvage radiation (IMRT) total dose 70.2 Gy, Jan-Mar 2007@ age 44
PSA 6/07 0.1, 9/07 <0.1, 12/07 <0.1, 4/08 <0.1
http://pcabefore50.blogspot.com

Buster · New User Joined: 19 Mar 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks, that's interesting. Interesting partly because my dad's urologist is a UCLA doctor, and interesting because every single person we've spoken to locally who has had prostate cancer has said to get to USC Norris. I think the biggest problem we've had with my dad's urologist is that the practice is so busy, he really hasn't had time to spend on my dad's case, and we're just sort of getting "canned" answers to our questions rather than having a doctor spending time with him and really reviewing his charts.

Thanks again!

Beth56 · Regular Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 11

My husband saw several Urologists including one at UCLA. To be honest, we were not impressed at all with UCLA or the doctor. He too was too busy, and they did not tell us all our options. Surgery was all they wanted to discuss and the place is so depressing. We went to Loma Linda Medical Center and my husband had Proton Beam Therapy as his treatment and we couldn't be happier. Never have we met such incredible doctors, nurses, staff and fellow patients as we did at LLMC. The atmosphere is so upbeat and caring. And one of the most organized hospitals we have ever visited. Good luck with helping your dad.

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