best hospitals for stomach cancer

A friend's mother has been diagnosed with stage 3 stomach cancer.  What is the best hospital for treatment if you could go anywhere?  Who specializes in stomach cancer?

I wanted Rob to go to MD Anderson in Houston.  I was outvoted by him and our youngest daughter.  I accepted that; however, we eventually had to go to MDA because of complications.  We will definitely be there if (I pray to God - Please No!)anyone else in my family gets cancer.  Good luck and God Bless you in your decision.

Cheryl   Oklahoma City

md anderson, sloan kettering in nyc, dana farber in MA, ucla...

MD Anderson in Texas.  And the best gastrointestinal oncologist in the world is Dr. Jaffer Ajani who happens to work there.

Just be careful with Sloan in NY. They are good but sometimes heavily rely on statistics. I was told that I wouldn't be able to have surgery and that I was incurable. Almost one year later from my diagnosis, I have had a total gastrectomy and I am cancer free.

I highly recommend the Cancer Institute of New Jersey out of Robert Wood Johnson hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. Dr David August is the best :)

We used MD Anderson when my brother had stomach cancer (stage 4 at diagnosis).  I would NOT go there again with a stomach cancer diagnosis.  Although very kind people they gave him absolutely no hope and only offered palative treatment, and didn't encourage that.  Hope and attitude are everything when a person has cancer!  I would check with the National Institutes of Health for any treatment trials that offer hope.  However, if surgery is possible, my suggestion is that you seek the most positive oncological surgeon they can find WITH A TRACK RECORD IN STOMACH CANCER SURGERY.  Cancer Treatment Centers of America have the most positive attitude we have found.  Good luck to you and your friends.  I wish you well.  Friends@linitisplastica.org

Memorial Sloan-Kettering is one of NCI's designated comprehensive cancer centers. Here’s a link to some information about stomach cancer treatment here:   http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/6055.cfm

I hope this information is helpful and wish your friend's mom the best of luck as she determines where is the best place for her to receive care. -Esther

I have stage 4 stomach cancer and I have been getting backup support and diagnoses from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, they have a fantastic gastric cancer surgeon (unfortunately I was not a candidate for surgery).  If you want her name let me know.  Where you go I think depends on where you live--- there are great Oncologists throughout the country.

Jeanne

On May 20, 2010 11:38 AM Mel5787 wrote:

Just be careful with Sloan in NY. They are good but sometimes heavily rely on statistics. I was told that I wouldn't be able to have surgery and that I was incurable. Almost one year later from my diagnosis, I have had a total gastrectomy and I am cancer free.

I highly recommend the Cancer Institute of New Jersey out of Robert Wood Johnson hospital in New Brunswick, NJ. Dr David August is the best :)

I was very interested in your reply -- did you go to Cancer Institute of New Jersey?  How long have you been cancer free?  I also was told I was not a candidate for surgery from Sloan Kettering and am getting chemo only.  It has stopped the growth of cancer in my stomach but it is still there.  Due to it having spread to a distant lymph node, Sloan said no surgery.  Maybe i should get a second opinion.  Were you stage 4?

Jeanne

Thank you all for your help.  She is Stage 4, not operable because it is throughout her abdomen.  She has been seen at Dana Farber and Mass General.  We thought about Sloan Kettering.  They have not been very encouraging where she has gone.  She has no symptoms and is in excellent health otherwise and they both said 6-12 months with chemo, maybe.  They are using EOX and testing her for HER2 for herceptin.  I was able to tell my friend about these drugs thanks to everyone's posts.  I have listened to you guys and then the hospital seemed like there's no hope to her.