A 22-year-old member asked:
Do all oncology centers follow the same protocol for leukemia?
2 doctor answers • 13 doctors weighed in

Dr. Peter Kurzweilanswered
Internal Medicine 51 years experience
No: Firstly there are multiple types of leukemia (acute, chronic, granulocytic, lymphocytic, hairy cell). There's a general consensus based on respected multi-insitutional centers on the latest successful regimens. But these are only guidelines. Each person is unique and rx may need to individualized. Also new studies r always being done, and study portocols will vary from one institution to another.
5.9k viewsReviewed Aug 14, 2020

Dr. Robert Warneranswered
Hematology and Oncology 41 years experience
Usually: All oncologists follow proven guidelines (usually nccn or asco), so the treatment for any cancer should be pretty much the same in portland, oregon or portland, maine. Some centers may have experimental protocols available, but one must remember they haven't been proven to be better or as good, or they would be the nccn standard.
5.9k viewsReviewed Jul 19, 2020

Dr. Martin Raff commented
Infectious Disease 57 years experience
What Dr. Warner says is quite correct, in that theoretically you can be treated just as effectively anywhere in the USA. In actuality, however, centers which deal with larger volumes of patients often have better coordinated programs, and in some cases, improved outcomes.
Apr 12, 2012
Last updated Aug 14, 2020
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