What Dr and TX to choose?

[grace]

I just was DX with an and have 2 diff. opinions watcha nd wait -or get cyberknife soon b/c the size is 4X3mm  with hearing loss, some numbness and some imbalance.... I need to know about the folowing MD's and if what their success rate is. I was told cyberknife is rx for this  -no side efects however I read you can come out deaf /with headaches, or swelling.. I have migraines and headaches already for yrs now - also the MRI said I could have MS but I and the 2 MD'a doubt this. I am going to the following MD's and would like to know theirsucces rate or if I ned to go far away to get this done as I live out in the country and cannot drive alone w/ snow and ice so I am going to send the MRi with hte info and pray they get back to me. I am supposed to see the Dr Shumway St Francis Hospital, Hartford. oncologist/radiologist next week...after Dr. Chozick met w/ me and rx the Cyberknife at St Francis where they have only doe 20 of an there?
What should I do?
Do you recommend the following and do you know their success rates? Is this public knowledge?
B/c the side effects are grand I need to know.... Thank you in advance....
Dr Leonard UCONN Health Center
Dr.Elias Michaelides Yale
Dr Barker/surgeon     Dr Loeffler uses radiation Boston area and Dr. McKenna Boston ? surgeon
Dr.Derek Smith MS specialist  in Voluntown, CT

[millie]

Hang in there...
I have read that Dr. Barker in Boston is excellent.  You are also close to NYC so I would research Drs there...Sisti at Columbia; Roland and Golfinos at NYU; Cornell Weill and Sloan Kettering; Dr. Post at Mt. Sinai. I don't know much about Connecticut, but Jim Scott on this forum does.  Also, I had translab in October for an  AN at NYU and feel my doctors were excellent.
BEst wishes,
Mil

[Jim Scott]

Hi, Grace ~

Welcome to the ANA discussion forums.

My neurosurgeon was Dr. Isaac Goodrich but I understand that he is now retired.  I assume his protege, Dr. Judith Gorelick (also a board-certified neurosurgeon) has assumed his practice.  Dr. Goodrich had decades of experience with AN removals and debulked mine (with the assistance of Dr. Gorelick and a hand-picked surgical team) in a 9-hour surgery performed at The Hospital of Saint Raphael (in New Haven) back in June, 2006.  The operation was very successful with no complications and was followed by 26 FSR treatments that effectively destroyed the tumor's ability to grow.  Subsequent MRI scans indicated tumor necrosis (cell death).  I'm doing great.  Here is a link for the medical practice where Dr. Goodrich was located and where, I assume, Dr. Gorelick is still a member.   Address, phone numbers and doctor profiles are included on the website.   http://www.ct-neurosurg.com/2801.html

Jim

[New girl]

Hi Grace,

I know Dr. McKenna follows thousands of patients many of which are watch and wait.  He is a surgeon at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) but he is also in close contact with Dr. Loeffler at MGH.  I have heard many great stories about him on this site.  He seems like a good person to go to to determine what treatment path is best.  Even though he is a surgeon he does not always prescribe surgery as the only option. He was on medical leave around the time I was trying to get second and third opinions so I went with another surgeon at MEEI.  I knew I wanted surgery but if I had any doubts I would have waited for McKenna to come back from leave.  Dr. Barker was my neurosurgeon - I have nothing but good things to say since I had a great outcome.  If you need more specifics just ask!  Sorry you have to deal with this.

[grace]

i went to 5 appointments and the last 2 were what I am contemplating now. Dr. Shumway works w/ Dr Chozick at St.Francis in Hartford doing Cyberknife and were both very compassionate and feel it can be best treated wi Cyberknife successfully. I was nervous s/c the whole tx plan was going too quickly for me. Saw Chozick 11/23 and referred to the Oncologist/radiologist 12/4 and just was given the plan... saying it grows slowly but the hearing loss will not come back so to remove it when I can... then to Dr. Cook neurosurgeon in Lowell,Ma and he confirmed Cyber is the best and that in about 18 months it will double in size so I have time but would go top a place that is convenient as the CK with the team is very accurate. So now I am on overload and never went to the MS DR as  both said they doubt highly as I do there is MS  . Now I was going to go to Yale- Dr Michaeledes who does AN and see his opinion.. I sent the other MD's the results and the MRI's I cannot drive alone to these appts and need a break from all this right now... I appreciate your imput and was hoping you could tell me anything about  Cyberknife success rate and St.Francis MD's Dr Shumway and CHozick???/ Also, I  want to wait to the spring -summer so I can get my neck and left arm feeling better and wait for the cold to pass  or even longer as I hope it goes away or goes not grow that fast - does it? - I do not do well in the winter driving and all for the past 5 yrs....My support is getting better but I do not tell people so I am not harassed to get it out.... as if the risks to remove or stop it are not there or are even worse sometimes.... those of you who answereed did you preserve you hearing or balance after the surgery or cyberk or gammakife? Thank- you so much for your imput -it means so much to me ,