Hospitals
Leiomyosarcoma Hospitals
If you have been diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), you may already understand the importance of working with medical professionals already experienced and familiar with treating the condition.
As the simplest example, when you are someone who has LMS that can be addressed through surgical excision, it is a surgery that should be done by a knowledgeable oncologist. This will guarantee that the widest margins are used and that the best prognosis is possible. Even the best general surgeon may not be familiar with the much greater margins required to properly excise LMS tumors completely.
Fortunately, there are no many formal sarcoma treatment centers in locations all over the United Sates and in other parts of the world. These are the premier locations for having your case diagnosed, your tumors graded and staged, and your optimal treatment plan created and administered. These are places using the latest technologies and therapies for combating this incredibly challenging disease.
Where to Find Leiomyosarcoma Treatment
Remember that LMS is aggressive and not all that responsive to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, alone, and having access to any sarcoma hospital or center (and particularly one with a specialty in LMS) will help you get cutting edge treatments. In addition to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, an LMS hospital or treatment center may allow you access to proton beam therapy, neutron beam treatments, RFA or radio frequency ablation, cryosurgery, VATS, chemoembolization, hyperthermia, anti-angiogenesis, and more. These are also places where psychological support is often an option in addition to any alternative therapies and clinical trials, as well.
In the United States, the most commonly recommended LMS hospitals are those with specialty sarcoma programs. Remember, though, that you are your own best advocate and should look specifically for an oncologist who has a background in LMS, and one who has experience in treating your particular variation of this condition.
The top hospitals in the U.S. are currently:
Cedars Sinai Sarcoma Program – Los Angeles, CA
Columbia Presbyterian Sarcoma Program – New York, NY
Dana Farber Cancer Institute DFCI – Boston, Massachusetts
Emory Winship Cancer Institute – Sarcoma and Musculoskeletal Program – Atlanta, GA
Fox Chase Cancer Center – Philadelphia, PA
Joan Karnell Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital – Philadelphia, PA
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center MDACC – Houston, TX
Massachusetts General Hospital MGH – Boston, MA
Mayo Clinic – Florida
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center MSKCC – New York, NY
Menorah Medical Center’s Sarcoma Institute – Overland Park, KS
Roswell Park Cancer Institute– Buffalo, NY
Sarcoma Oncology Center – Santa Monica, CA
Seattle Cancer Care Alliance – Seattle, WA
The Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center – Cleveland, OH
The Washington Musculoskeletal Tumor Center – Washington Cancer Institute, Georgetown University, Washington DC
University of California Los Angeles Sarcoma Program – Los Angeles, CA
University of Miami Sarcoma Group – Miami, FL
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center – Ann Arbor, MI
University of Minnesota Cancer Center – Minneapolis, MN
University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute Sarcoma Service – Salt Lake City, UT
You can also turn to the Sarcoma Foundation of America for some suggestions. Also, because LMS is designated as a rare condition, you will want to use the specialist resources listed at the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) website: http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/extramural/cancercenters.
This list represents the widest range of providers, but be sure you also work actively to build a strong healthcare team. This is one that includes your primary physician (who is experienced with your type of LMS), a medical oncologist who will be able to provide information about the latest chemotherapies, a surgical oncologist (who has a history of dealing with sarcomas and LMS), a radiation oncologist, a reputable pathologist, and even a qualified psychologist who can help you deal with the range of emotions your illness may trigger. This sort of team is going to give you the best prognosis and outcome.
Source
Leiomyosarcom.info. First Steps After Diagnosis. 2015. http://www.leiomyosarcoma.info/firststeps.htm#deal