Individuals with cancer will likely travel far to get the best treatment. Take Michael Burton. He is a husband and father, as well as a worker for the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Burton chose Illinois as his cancer treatment center after a routine examination revealed that he had black spots in his lungs.
Burton, now in remission from cancer, still keeps in touch with Cancer Treatment Centers of America. “Whatever I need, they are there for me,”Burton said. “Even if there is 4,000 miles in between.”
Burton isn’t the only one to travel thousands of miles for treatment. Many patients with cancer choose to travel thousands of miles to find well-known specialists or facilities, even if it means that they have to fly long distances and miss their loved ones.
One study shows that patients with cancer who travel to receive treatment are more likely to have positive outcomes than those who go to regional centers. Researchers at the University of Chicago and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston followed 120 patients suffering from head and neck cancer.
These are the findings of the study. The study found that for every 10 miles patients travelled, their chances of dying from the disease dropped by 3.2 percent. Patients of all ages, wealth and other demographics were affected by this.
Researchers speculate that patients who can research the best cancer treatment centers and have the resources necessary to find the best one will do better than those who pick the closest option. However, the scientists admit that further research is needed to discover why patients with cancer who travel are able to survive.
Burton’s two-year treatment was very difficult and he missed time with his family. He didn’t let that stop him from continuing on the same path. “I traveled, but it was well worth it.”He stated, “I received premium care at CTCA.”
Call 1-800-573-1255 for more information or visit cancercenter.com.
