# Finding a good pediatric oncologist

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 1, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598 "2002-09-01T20:08:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598/1 "2002-09-01T20:08:05Z")

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A good family friend has just received the distressing news that her four-year-old suffers from a kidney tumor. They live outside the U.S., and are considering coming here for the treatment.

The GQ is: is there a good source to rate the various pediatric oncology departments? Is there a place generally recognized as “the best?” I’m looking for some sort of objective analysis, to keep this a GQ, although personal experiences would be appreciated also.

- Rick

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**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598/2 "2002-09-01T22:01:19Z")

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I’d hesitate to say that there’s any one department that’s “the best” overall. What part of the country would your friends be staying in? There are quite a few excellent children’s hospitals in many regions of the country; if they know where they would be staying, it might help to narrow the choices a bit.

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**Author:** ![Shaky\_Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shaky\_Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaky_Jake)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598/3 "2002-09-02T04:17:23Z")

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Rick,  
Do you know what kind of tumor? There are kidney tumors, and there are kidney tumors. Wilm’s tumor, for instance, is usually very treatable, if I remenber my peds correctly.

Agree with artemis. If you can provide a few potential locations, I can do some asking around on Tuesday. I work for a company that runs drug trials, and we have docs on staff and contacts in various areas who may prove helpful.

Best of luck

Shaky Jake

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**Author:** ![honkytonkwillie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@honkytonkwillie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/honkytonkwillie)\
**Post date:** [September 2, 2002, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-a-good-pediatric-oncologist/126598/4 "2002-09-02T08:02:27Z")

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My next door neighbor happens to be a pediatric oncologist. She’s rarely home, but if I see her I’ll ask her.

I’m in Anchorage Alaska though. I’m sure there’s larger medical communities elsewhere with a much larger field of specialists to choose form.