Looking for Help in Italy

Henny · 01-16-2012, 01:55 PM

Help! My sister-in-law, who lives near a US Airforce base in northern Italy (where my brother works) just had a highly suspicious mammogram and ultrasound. The Airforce radiologist did a biopsy last Friday at the base hospital. My brother thought he didn't have much experience doing breast biopsies.

So now the sample has been sent to England for pathology and they won't hear for 10 days.

Does anyone know of an Italian breast center that she could go to? They live about an hour north of Venice. She said that she wanted the lesion taken out and I'm screaming inside thinking of her having it done on base where she had the biopsy. She really needs to be somewhere where they do lots of breast imaging and surgeries and have lots of experience.

Thank you all so much for any leads I can send to her

Henny

candlegranny · 01-16-2012, 11:06 PM

If it comes back as cancer I wont be surprised if they send them back to the states. HE will fall under the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) the military has for family members with special medical needs. I will be praying for her and that she seeks and finds the best possible care available to her.

Henny · 01-17-2012, 03:21 PM

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. I think they're going to stay in Italy for a while. My brother is a civilian employee (high school teacher on the Aviano AFB) so if he leaves he loses his job. I have read quite a few research studies on BC coming out of Italy so I'm hoping she can find good care near her home if she needs it

ElaineM · 01-18-2012, 03:17 PM

One of our members, Karen Wheel was receiving treatment in Italy. Perhaps she will see this post and respond or you could try sending her a PM or an e-mail.

karen z · 01-18-2012, 03:41 PM

The two SABCS meetings I have attended were heavily represented by research coming out of Italy. You might look on-line at the SABCS presentations to see where some of the main researchers are located. I am also guessing that some of the folks on this site who have very well known docs here could check with their docs for recommendations.

Henny · 01-18-2012, 08:44 PM

Thanks Elaine- I just emailed Karen W and am off to check out the SABCS presentations. Thanks Karen
We have so many great breast centers in the states I'm sure there must be some in Northern Italy

ElaineM · 01-18-2012, 08:47 PM

That is a good idea too. Since alot of researchers are working in Italy there must be alot going on about breast cancer over there. Also if you know someone who could contact Dr. M. Cristafanilli, the IBC specialist at Fox Chase in Pennsylvania he might know where to go. I think he was originally from Italy and still has contacts over there.

Lien · 01-20-2012, 06:00 PM

I'm from the Netherlands, Europe. Italy is one of the European countries where health care is very good. I have worked in Italy and can tell you that the standard of care in the North is usually better than it is in the South. There will probably be good hospitals with plenty of BC experience in Verona and/or Bologna. If you like, I can look into that. Let me know.

I hope it's B9 though!

Jacqueline

Lien · 01-20-2012, 06:12 PM

I just wrote to an Italian friend who has lived in the US for over 20 years now. She is a breastcancer survivor, so she knows her stuff. I got an out of office reply, but she will be back by the end of next week. I've asked her about the best place to go for breastcancer treatment in the North of Italy.

Will let you know as soon as I hear from her.

Jacqueline

Henny · 01-21-2012, 03:48 PM

Thank you so much for looking. I spoke to my brother and sister-in-law last night. It's been 2 weeks and she still doesn't have the biopsy results. She sounded somewhat calm but must really anxious underneath.

Lien · 01-23-2012, 02:56 PM

This is what my friend wrote:
I don't know of any particular surgeons
though the European Cancer Institute in Milan is the premier cancer center
in Italy with world-famous oncologists and surgeons. I would highly
recommend she contacts them. She might have to go privately if she wants
urgent appointments.

Hope this helps. Catia is a PHD and she has travelled widely. Also, I know that a few years ago Health Care standards in Europe were compared, and Italy did really well. I think it was in the top 3.

Jacqueline

Henny · 01-23-2012, 10:18 PM

Thanks-I will pass this on to them. My brother had a heart valve replaced in Milan last year and was very impressed with the care. (Unfortunately his Italian isn't great and his daughter, my niece, who translated is in college in the US right now but he and my sister-in-law can figure things out)