Re: Cancer and Kaiser, What facility is best

From: Pinstripe (howard_at_pinstripe.com)
Date: 07/12/04 

Date: 12 Jul 2004 09:42:05 -0700

J <heetseeker@privacy.net> wrote in message news:<40F1DABC.4B881918@execulink.com>...
> Pinstripe wrote:
>
> > My mother was recently diagnosed with metastatic cancer of occult
> > origin. She goes to the Kaiser Foundation Center in Santa Rosa,
> > California. Since this diagnosis leaves us with no workable
> > information on what sort of cancer we are dealing with we want to make
> > sure she gets both a new outside opinion as well as another inside
> > Kaiser opinion. Frankly the pulminary department at Kaiser Santa Rosa
> > left much to be desired. Imaging is almost as bad. Since she may go to
> > any of the Kaiser Centers, what Kaiser do you think has the best care
> > in the area of Cancer diagnosis and treatment? I'm willing to travel
> > and take her to any center that is the best.
> >
> > Thanks for any advice.
>
> Hello,
>
> I know nothing about Kaiser Centres. Depending on many details, she may be
> just where she should be.
>
> May we assume that your mother is in her 80's?
> How is her other health (heart, liver, kidneys, diabetes, liver)?
>
> What signs and symptoms is she displaying right now?
> Is she anemic? Has she lost a lot of weight very quickly? Does she have
> pain somewhere? If so, where?
> Is she jaundiced? Vomiting? (etc, etc)
>
> Is she bedridden or active?
> What investigations has she had?
>
> There's an article here about CUP (cancer of unknown primary)
> http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/6_19.htm
> "In patients in whom the primary cancer is eventually found, the lung and
> pancreas are the most common primary cancer sites. CUP also may be traced
> to the breast, prostate, colon, or rectum as the primary "
>
> Has the cell type been identified? Are lymph nodes involved swollen? If
> so, where?
>
> Hope to hear from you soon.
> J

Mom is 84. Her symptoms are some weakness but it varies from day to
day. She has pain in her lower back in the mornings but it goes away
after an hour or so. (she has arthritis in her lower spine) She has
lower bowel bloating and pain and has for months. We thought this was
related to her recent Pancreatitis (she has a very large gall stone
Kaiser has failed to remove) but apperantly not. She does have
diverticulitis which could explain the pain. This week she is getting
a barium enima and xray to further check this out. She has not lost
weight. She did vomit when she had the Pancreatitis but not since
then. She has been seen by her doctor for a breast exam last week and
was ok. She has a mamogram this week. Lymph nodes are all fine. What
it comes down to in terms of symptons they are the lower bowel pain
and bloating (painful at times but not disabilitating) and some
weakness. To me the lower bowel pain seems much less then it was when
she had full blown Pancreatitis. She does have some coughing and
chocking. She's had this since she was in her early 40's after the
birth of my sister. She has never smoked. She does not drink.

She is not bed ridden and still runs her home and is primary care
giver to my father who has advanced Alzheimer's disease. Her blood
tests show no enemia, no cancer markers, nothing elevated except her
Amylase (175U/L). She had Pancreatitis a few months back, and this has
not dropped but her Lipase is back to normal levels. On her upper and
lower CAT scans there are no masses, only very small spots in her
lungs that are not calsified. These spots are too small to biopsy.

The cancer diagnosis is based only on the small lung spots and no
biopsy or test result. This is the reason I am so concerned she get a
2nd diagnosis. At Kaiser if the specialist says noting can be done you
are returned to your primary doctor and that's where it is left. Nore
more tests, no treatment, nothing. I think you can understand my
frustration.

Thanks for your advise.

Howard

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