Monday, December 25, 2006

Anderson, Begin Again

Several times I’ve written about the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center of the University of Texas. It is one of the two best clinical oncology facilities in the United States and one of the very best in the world. As I wrote before, I’ve wanted my father to go to Anderson since he was first diagnosed. Because of its special FDA status, Anderson has clinical trial treatments unavailable anywhere else.

Their latest is the proton beam. Yes, it sounds like some fictitious weapon from an episode of Star Trek. But it’s real, in use, and to great effect. And it’s at Anderson—and apparently nowhere else (at least in the States).

Is my father a candidate for such treatment? Who knows!? (Oh, for an interrobang!) So far he has squirmed out of every argument I’ve made in favor for going to Anderson, using ill–conceived claims and counterclaims. He seems convinced that UCSF is just as good. Well, maybe now he will give that belief further consideration.

Merry Christmas.

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