Cancer Centers of America- any insight?

[Sam J.]

I find it odd that the disclaimer in their ads (after their 'patients' claim they were healed despite inadequate care elsewhere) says 'Not every situation is the same. You should not expect to achieve the same results', more so when many of their 'patients' claim to have survived advanced pancreatic cancer?

Just curious if they have information that the mainstream doesn't have, about cancer care. If they do, I might find their advertising more credible, and have a real option if I am ever diagnosed with cancer.

For the record, my cancer experience is limited to working hospice, and from an extensive family history- I have never worked in oncology.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

I've always figured they've skewed the numbers to come up with the statistics they tout on commercials. From my days in oncology, I knew their claims were outrageous and had to be fabricated somehow. The 2013 report below by Reuters would agree.

Special Report: Behind a cancer-treatment firm's rosy survival claims | Reuters

Such claims are misleading, according to nine experts in cancer and medical statistics whom Reuters asked to review CTCA's survival numbers and its statistical methodology.

The experts were unanimous that CTCA's patients are different from the patients the company compares them to, in a way that skews their survival data. It has relatively few elderly patients, even though cancer is a disease of the aged. It has almost none who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid - patients who tend to die sooner if they develop cancer and who are comparatively numerous in national statistics.

Other reviews are just as scathing:

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/cancer-treatment-centers-of-america-and-naturopathic-oncology/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevensalzberg/2012/12/31/making-a-profit-from-offering-ineffective-therapies-to-cancer-patients/

Aside from the for-profit methods of weeding out patients, this company's medical ethics (or lack thereof) are reprehensible.

[Sam J.]

I figured as much, more so, again, the pancreatic cancer. From my understanding that is usually not detected until it has passed a certain point of hopeful cure, but they seem to have a great success rate (even though they tell viewers 'not to expect these results'). As far as paying for that care, I suspected it was aimed at people with money. Those ads must cause a lot of fear in cancer patients that don't have the right coverage or $ to pay for CCofA.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

That is correct. Pancreatic cancer is a strange, sadistic animal. I witnessed two patients who were particularly memorable pass from it, one of whom was a physician. They had no idea there was anything wrong until the disease was extremely advanced and metastasized, and by then, it was far too late. Pancreatic cancer is also one of those cancers that isn't easy to treat; it often continues to grow unhindered by even the harshest chemo regimens.

The anecdote in one of the articles is particularly terrifying. How does one cope as a patient or a family member when the place that claims to be the best--and is probably your last hope--suddenly won't see the patient anymore? What do these folks do? CCofA is so focused on cure that it wouldn't shock me if there was never any mention of Hospice. Where is the patient's choice in all of this? Who assists them in end-of-life decisions?

That was often the most critical piece of what we did as oncology nurses--assisting families and patients in making those decisions before it was too late. When the patient is reaching the end, that's usually when they and their family need nursing support the most. To simply cut off care to desperate people is despicable. To refuse further contact with an established patient who is dying just to keep up one's misinterpreted numbers is just unconscionable.

You may also find this interesting:

Cancer Treatment Centers of America Reviews | Glassdoor

There's a pretty wide range of reviews on this page, but it's notable that many of the negative reviews cite a focus on profits versus patient care.

[Sam J.]

Interesting. I'm convinced it's about as practical or 'healing' as those drug rehab places for the rich and famous, like Malibu- the fact that their rich and famous clients (meaning, people that can afford those places) seem to keep going in and out of rehab makes me wonder if those places are really so superior to the options available to the masses (no pun intended)?

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

It's a valid question. It seems CCoA relies heavily on alternative medicine to complement conventional methods, such as chemo, radiation, etc.

Personally, I've seen sufficient, consistent, high-level evidence to suggest that alternative medicine is effective in combating the disease processes of any cancer. It may benefit the patient psychologically, which surely has its benefits, but I've yet to see proof that it works against the cancer itself. But I would imagine if you were to ask CCoA, they'd cite this as one of the reasons their treatment is allegedly more "effective" than other treatment centers--the "holistic approach" that they like to tout--if one were to believe the propaganda.

I don't think most rational people would find their advertisements convincing. A desperate patient, dying of a relentless disease or their family member, however--that's a different story, and that's the scary part.

[Sam J.]

Desperate, and scared half to death? Just saw ANOTHER of their ads- now I have to ask if anyone in here knows "Peggy"- you know, the advanced pancreatic cancer patient that was 'left to die' by mainstream medicine, and now even years (maybe even ten or more) later is able to ride her horse off into the sunset, totally cured, thanks to CCofA? Methinks she's a fabrication of Madison Avenue?