Medically Reviewed by Larry D. Grubb, MD

There many good reasons why a cancer patient would seek treatment near home, such as the range of treatment options and technology. McLeod Cancer Specialist Dr. Larry Grubb explains what he calls 99% equation:

Here’s a summary of Dr. Grubb’s remarks:
I don’t see any reason why 99% of cancer patients in this area wouldn’t come to McLeod for their treatment. McLeod is like any other hospital in the world. We do not do everything. There’s that 1% that we feel can be done somewhere else. In those cases,  we have no hesitation in sending someone to whatever the best place in the country to get it done. Yet, 99% of what needs to be done, can be done here. And it’s going to be done exactly like it’s done all over the country.

Anyone who finds something out in medicine, doesn’t keep it a secret. They can’t wait to publish it. Everybody knows what the best treatments are, what’s available and how to do it.

Sometimes, cancer treatment can be fairly simple. It can be an operation and it’s over. Other times, cancer therapy goes on for months. I’m sure it seems to the patient, like it goes on virtually indefinitely. If you’re in the battle of their life, the toughest time of your life, why in the world would you want to drive somewhere else —  away from your friends, your family, your church, and your support group — to get the sort of treatment that you will receive right here anyway? I don’t see any reason to do that.

As an example of what patients will find. In our cancer center, in terms of radiation oncology, we have three almost brand new linear accelerators, which are the machines that deliver the treatment. They are absolutely state of the art – the same that cancer centers across the U.S. use.
 
We will look at every angle. We will look at every possible treatment, come up with a treatment plan and, then, present that to the patient and their family.

Have a question? Ask a Cancer Specialist.