[NStewart]

Re: Multiple myeloma experts

by NStewart on Sat Jul 25, 2015 12:39 am

I was fortunate when I went for a 2nd opinion because I worked for the health system where the myeloma group is located. Also, as a PT who worked with cancer patients, one of my colleagues was part of the bone marrow transplant (BMT) team who did follow-up visits with patients who had had allogeneic transplants there. So, I asked my colleague to ask people at the BMT center about who they would recommend for myeloma. They all recommended the same doctor, who also is the chair of the department. So, I made an appointment with him and then stayed with him for my primary oncologist.

The oncologist who you saw at the myeloma center may be a newer specialist. But, if he is part of a myeloma team with at least 2 doctors, s/he is being mentored by the more experienced members of the team. Where I am going the team has increased from 2 to 5 myeloma specialists in the 7 years that I have been a patient there. The newest member of the team was hired after completing his fellowship in myeloma there. My doctor has mentioned on several occasions how this newest doctor is being mentored by all off of the team members. My doctor is the one who is in charge of his mentoring and meets with him on a regular basis. All of them discuss their patients with one another in weekly conferences.

All of the above to say that maybe another way to judge a specialist is to ask how many doctors in the department treat mostly people with myeloma. If it is a one doctor department and is a newly minted myeloma specialist, s/he may not have someone to easily consult with. But, most of the myeloma doctors, even the newly minted ones, have access to all of the more experienced myeloma specialists around the country. They all seem to know one another from conferences, from fellowships, from participating in multi-site clinical trials, etc.

One of the problems with getting more than one opinion is that you may get differing opinions about what is the best treatment for your myeloma. That's one of the reasons people will do 3, or more, opinions with other myeloma specialists. It all comes down to who you feel more comfortable with and which treatment suggestion feels the best to you based on the varying opinions and your own research.

You are touching on the dilemmas that all of us face at each stage of our disease. Which treatment path should we choose?

Nancy in Phila

[Little Monkey]

Re: Multiple myeloma experts

by Little Monkey on Sat Jul 25, 2015 9:36 am

Nancy Shamanna wrote:

Hi Little Monkey, Sorry to hear of what your father is going through, and he is fortunate to have you helping him with his back and plasmacytoma issues. Good luck!

Thanks a lot

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Multiple myeloma experts

by Nancy Shamanna on Sat Jul 25, 2015 11:00 am

Wishing you and your father the best, L.M. As a fellow Canadian, and having been a patient for over six years now, I have heard of Princess Margaret Hospital, and know that there are famous myeloma specialists working there. It seems to me that as an Ontarian, it is a good idea for you to get consultations there! Please keep us posted on your father's progress.

[Little Monkey]

Re: Multiple myeloma experts

by Little Monkey on Sat Jul 25, 2015 6:58 pm

Thanks, I will; it seems there are good days and bad days as it relates to neuropathy-leg pain.