Is Kimmel Cancer Center at Sibley Memorial hospital comparable to Johns Hospital in Baltimore and Georgetown

[Anonymous]

I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Sidney Kimmel cancer center at Johns Hopkins is rated one of the best treatment centers in US. Although the main campus is in Baltimore, the cancer center has a location in DC (Sibley). Is the DC location comparable to the location in Baltimore in terms of surgeon quality and care quality? How does it compare to Georgetown? Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I dont know, but am dealing with them for possible lymphoma up in Baltimore, seeing doc this week. I can tell you that instead of PET/CT which is 25mSV of radiation there are now PET/MRIs with only 3-4mSV of radiation---I was shocked Hopkins doesnt have this machine. There are 30 such machines in the US, you would think Hopkins would be the first to get it. I will ask my oncologist if they can order PET/MRI instead of PET/CT.
Ask if that can be an option for you.

Good luck!!!

[Anonymous]

I can't compare. All I know is I was treated (surgery, full breast radiation) at Sibley and I am very favorably impressed. I also had PT there for ROM after I screwed up my other shoulder doing exercises wrong, my bad.

My surgeon was Dr. Tran. Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology doctors were both very thorough and patient explaining my options there and I chose not to have Tamoxifen. I still am followed up by all 3 (surgery almost 3 years ago). Dr. Tran has exceptional empathy and skills.

[Anonymous]

15:54 again
If I had to do it again, I would use Sibley. I would prefer care nearer my Arlington home, especially daily trips for radiation.
Clean mammogram end of June!

[Anonymous]

I met with oncologists at Hopkins and Sibley. I had an early stage breast cancer with a standard treatment protocol. Both oncologists said to get care closest to home as the treatment would be the exact same anywhere. If I didn’t respond, had a recurrence, or some other unusual situation presented, then I should consider Hopkins or another well known cancer center.

To answer your question, going to Sibley is not the same as going to Hopkins in Baltimore, but there are some advantages to being in the Hopkins network.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dont know, but am dealing with them for possible lymphoma up in Baltimore, seeing doc this week. I can tell you that instead of PET/CT which is 25mSV of radiation there are now PET/MRIs with only 3-4mSV of radiation---I was shocked Hopkins doesnt have this machine. There are 30 such machines in the US, you would think Hopkins would be the first to get it. I will ask my oncologist if they can order PET/MRI instead of PET/CT.
Ask if that can be an option for you.

Good luck!!!

Thank you. It’s surprising that Hopkins doesn’t have it. Looks like University of Maryland has it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:15:54 again
If I had to do it again, I would use Sibley. I would prefer care nearer my Arlington home, especially daily trips for radiation.
Clean mammogram end of June!

Good to hear you had clean mammogram. It’s becoming so stressful to do the mammogram every six months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I met with oncologists at Hopkins and Sibley. I had an early stage breast cancer with a standard treatment protocol. Both oncologists said to get care closest to home as the treatment would be the exact same anywhere. If I didn’t respond, had a recurrence, or some other unusual situation presented, then I should consider Hopkins or another well known cancer center.

To answer your question, going to Sibley is not the same as going to Hopkins in Baltimore, but there are some advantages to being in the Hopkins network.

Thank you. I’m also early stage. Both Sibley and Georgetown are pretty far from my home. INOVA Shar and Virginia Cancer Specialist are the closest to me. They aren’t NCI certified though.

[Anonymous]

I took a look. Inova Shar is 12 miles from Sibley. About half an hour avoiding highways.

I live 8 miles away from Sibley.
I would pick an NCI certified place and a great surgeon.
Sibley imo has a great one in Dr Tran. I told her take all you want and have clean margins. I was early stage invasive ductal. Very small. Because I didn't want to risk arm edema I wanted no sentinal nodes taken. She went to tumor board and I have all my nodes.
That is why I chose whole breast radiation.

[Anonymous]

NO WAY. Sibley is terrible. But it really depends on the specific doctor you are seeing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NO WAY. Sibley is terrible. But it really depends on the specific doctor you are seeing.

Not OP, but a post like this is not very helpful because there is no information given as to why you think there's no way it's as good as Hopkins in Baltimore. Sounds like you had a bad experience with one particular doctor. To be useful to OP and others, can you give more information on why you think it's not as good?

[Anonymous]

Sibley’s breast cancer oncologists all seemed to have left in 2023 and were replaced by young doctors with maybe only 5 years max outside of med school. I’m not sure if that’s all related to the failure of the Sullivan breast center.

[Anonymous]

15:54 again.
Sibley Hospital as an inpatient is a mixed bag.
I have 2 excellent knees but my 2017 stay was much better than 2016 in terms of the nurses following their bowel protocol.
My breast surgery I went home that day. A little scary but it went well and probably better to minimize being in the hospital.
Other hospitals may have better inpatient ratings, I think VHC might. But for BREAST CANCER SURGERY AND ONCOLOGY Sibley is imo top notch. Get in and get out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:15:54 again
If I had to do it again, I would use Sibley. I would prefer care nearer my Arlington home, especially daily trips for radiation.
Clean mammogram end of June!

Good to hear you had clean mammogram. It’s becoming so stressful to do the mammogram every six months.

Will you do breast mri too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I took a look. Inova Shar is 12 miles from Sibley. About half an hour avoiding highways.

I live 8 miles away from Sibley.
I would pick an NCI certified place and a great surgeon.
Sibley imo has a great one in Dr Tran. I told her take all you want and have clean margins. I was early stage invasive ductal. Very small. Because I didn't want to risk arm edema I wanted no sentinal nodes taken. She went to tumor board and I have all my nodes.
That is why I chose whole breast radiation.

Did radiation change the look of your breast? How long did you do the radiation?