Where To Go

As with any medical issue, it is even more important to seek a second opinion for any cancer diagnosis. Many doctors can treat cancer, but only a few have the experience and medical expertise to treat your cancer successfully. Even if your medical oncologist came highly recommended by your regular physician, don’t be bashful about asking for a second opinion. If the medical oncologist you’re presently seeing is offended by this, this wasn’t the right doctor to proceed with in the first place.

The thing about cancer is that everyone’s cancer is unique. Not any two cases are identical. So it is important to seek help from a medical organization that has seen a large number of cases so that they have a greater likelihood of having the experience to treat your particular case.

MD Anderson Main Bldg in Houston, TX

The top ten cancer centers in the U.S. are:

  1. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Clinic – Houston, TX
  2. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – New York City, NY
  3. Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN
  4. Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center – Boston, MA
  5. UCLA Medical Center – Los Angeles, CA
  6. Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, OH
  7. City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center – Duarte, CA
  8. University of Pennsylvania Presbyterian – Philadelphia, PA
  9. Northwestern Medicine Memorial Hospital – Chicago, IL
  10. Siteman Cancer Center Barnes-Jewish Hospital – St. Louis, MO

Source: U.S. News & World Report – 2023

It can be inconvenient to have to travel to a cancer center far from your home. But the rewards of having the most qualified medical personnel evaluate your cancer diagnosis is worth the trouble. After you have your second opinion and a recommended course of action, you can pursue it with them, ask for a referral to a medical facility closer to your home, or pursue it with your original oncologist.