Has anyone been treated at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware?

[Oldie68]

I am considering moving to Delaware. Has anyone been treated at Christiana hospital? What was your experience? My MO is telling me that the level of care for cancer patients is the same around the country. I am a bit skeptical, having read posts here and elsewhere.

[Atdabeach]

Can't tell you about Christiana, but I live in Rehoboth Beach, and trust my PCa care to Johns Hopkins, only a couple of hours away. As to the claim that cancer care is the same everywhere ... no way do I believe that!

[Oldie68 in reply to Atdabeach]

Thank you very much for your input. I haven't thought about Johns Hopkins, although driving a couple of hours might be a problem for me.

[Atdabeach in reply to Oldie68]

Where in Delaware are you thinking of moving to? We love the southern part of the state, but I wouldn't seek complex medical care there given a choice. I grew up in Maryland, and was familiar with JH from previous family experience, so it was a natural for me. I'm currently in proton therapy at Sibley Hospital in D.C., run by Hopkins. We rented an apartment in Bethesda for a couple of months rather than commute.

[Oldie68 in reply to Atdabeach]

I was thinking of Newark, since I have friends there, but home prices look better as you go south, so probably somewhere around Dover: Smyrna, Magnolia, Frederica. Haven't explored renting yet. Suggestions/opinions will be greatly appreciated.

[Papa1 in reply to Atdabeach]

Ditto on travel to Baltimore. Two comprehensive cancer centers, Hopkins and U of M. Arif Hussein at Maryland is excellent. Hopkins has Denmeade and others. Philadelphia is another option. Good luck.

[Oldie68 in reply to Papa1]

Thank you very much for your reply. Very good to know there are multiple options there!

[dac500]

I live in Delaware. When I was diagnosed with Gleason 3 + 3 prostate cancer in 2011, I went Helen Graham Cancer Center and had brachytherapy. The seed implant was very successful and still inside of my prostate gland is cancer free. Unfortunately, a higher grade cancer just sitting on the capsule was not killed by the seeds. I had an extra-capsular recurrence in 2018, which was again treated with cyberknife at Helen Graham. Even though the quality of treatment was good some important things were missed. I should have been on Lupron for at least one year when I had cyberknife. I was no Lupron for only nine months. Now, I am battling metastatic in multiple abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes. Since 2018 I go to Penn Medicine where I get better treatment. It is only 45 miles from Delaware .

Helen Graham Cancer Center is good. But you should explore Temple and Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.

[Oldie68 in reply to dac500]

Thank you very much for your reply. It's good to know there are other options in Delaware. I admire your resilience during the last couple of years. Honestly, I thought with that many metastasizes you can live a year at most. I wish you the best in continuing to win the battle.

[dac500 in reply to Oldie68]

There are lot of treatment options now a days. I have already lived over 4 years with metastatic cancer and I expect my cancer would remain under control as long as I live.

[twostrats]

I live in central Delaware and use Fox Chace-Temple in PA. It's a two hour drive, and a much better option than Delaware hospitals

[Oldie68 in reply to twostrats]

Thank you very much for your reply. Traveling two hours one way might not be a problem a couple of times a year. Living in the Boston area I feel I am a bit spoiled to say the least.

[pakb]

Being in DE you are so close to Johns Hopkins south and Penn, Jefferson, Foxchase to the north. And MD Anderson Cooper in NJ. Lots of options for second opinions if you get local care at Christiana. We live about an hour north of Philadelphia and got opinions at Penn, Jeff and Foxchase at initial diagnosis and chose Foxchase- but all had same treatment suggestion. And we know we can always go back for 2nd opinions at any time. We like that it's easier to park at Foxchase and they are a cancer center- lots of research and will talk outside of SOC with me. We have loved the care there.

[Oldie68 in reply to pakb]

Thank you very much for your detailed response. Looks like you are in NJ, not too far from the City. Have you explored any hospitals there?

[pakb in reply to Oldie68]

I'm in PA- just over the bridge from Princeton NJ. We only got opinions from Jefferson, Penn (both in Philadelphia) and Foxchase Cancer Center (just outside the city proper). Didn't check much in to jersey hospitals.

[NRH_Beach]

I do not have first-hand, in region experience... but Penn Medicine appears to be in the vanguard on BRCA+ gene mutation - if that has an advantage for you.

[Oldie68 in reply to NRH_Beach]

Thank you for your replay. I don't have the mutation but will definitely look into Penn Medicine.

[Oldie68]

That's a good advice. Thank you!