Finding the Best Care

Finding the best care is about identifying your own needs and then finding the facility, team, and treatment that is best for you. Some are most comfortable getting their treatments in a smaller facility, others prefer being seen at a major teaching hospital. Some travel many miles for treatment, others seek care that is close to home.

For everyone, the goal should be to find a facility that treats a lot of lung cancer and can help you understand your available treatment options. You will usually find your care is provided by a “multi-disciplinary” team, a group of professionals that may include a pulmonologist, oncologist, thoracic surgeon, a radiologist and others. It is important to remember that you are also a member of the team, and that the decisions that need to be made about your treatment are ultimately yours to make.

For such decisions to be made, you will need information about your treatment options, and to understand why particular treatments are being recommended. It will be important to have a talk with your doctor about the potential risks (such as side effects) and benefits to you from a given treatment, and to know what alternatives may be available.

One of the first steps you can take to find a doctor or cancer center is to get a recommendation from a reliable source. Start with your primary care doctor, who may be able to refer you to lung cancer specialists in your area. You may find it helpful to talk to other cancer patients about their experiences with a particular hospital or facility. If you are having trouble locating a treatment facility, call Lung Cancer Alliance’s information line at 1 (800) 298-2436 for help. While we cannot recommend a specific doctor or facility, we can help you find information about those in your area so that you can make an informed decision.

These are the websites we use to find out information about cancer treatment centers across the county. You may find them helpful as you seek your best care:

• The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Cancer Centers and Comprehensive Cancer Centers is a group of over 64 institutions which are “characterized by scientific excellence” in cancer. That list can be found at NCI’s website. Lung Cancer Alliance has identified which of NCI’s centers have lung cancer or thoracic oncology programs and can provide that information to you, just call our information line.

• The website of the Association of Community Cancer Centers has an easy to search directory of nearly 700 community cancer programs and private oncology practices that belong to the ACCC.

• The American College of Surgeons’ Commission of Cancer identifies hospitals with cancer programs. Their website has a searchable database of over 1600 accredited hospitals all over the country.

• The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) website includes information on the more than 20 NCCN member institutions, leading medical facilities specializing in cancer.

Once you’ve found a treatment facility and have identified your treatment team, there are other important things to think about regarding your lung cancer treatment.

Do you know the questions to ask about your treatment goals and expectations? Here is a list that may help.

It will be important for you to seek advice regarding the most up-to-date and appropriate treatment available for your cancer. Lung Cancer Alliance can help! Just call our information line and we will mail you one of our patient information packets.

Ask your doctor about clinical trials before you make any decisions about your treatment and continue to ask throughout your treatment. Lung Cancer Alliance is dedicated to making sure patients have the information and help they need to find appropriate clinical trials. Please go here for more information.

For many, finding the best care for lung cancer is more than just understanding the disease and treatment options. It is also about learning ways to cope with the impact of the disease and the effects of the cancer and treatment.

Lung Cancer Alliance understands you may have needs for support and information that can only come from others who have been through a similar experience or who are going through it now, just like you. That’s why we keep an updated list of support options on our website. We are also available to discuss these options with you over the phone, send you information via mail or e-mail, or match you with a Phone Buddy volunteer. Just call our information line for help.

Through our services and referrals, Lung Cancer Alliance is here to help you find your best care.