Your First Visit

Every patient with MDS or MPN at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has a personal team that includes an oncologist, social workers, physical therapists, nutritionists, and nurse case manager.

Before your first visit, the team may have reviewed your pathology slides (tissue samples from any biopsies), if available, and any scans or tests you have already had. However, the team may also want to repeat one or another of the tests since all these diseases are progressive, and recommendations are most meaningful when they are based on the most up-to-date findings.

If you do not live in or near Seattle, we may ask your referring doctor to arrange for additional tests or scans so that these results are available before your appointment at SCCA. However, bone marrow tests are best done at our center, for several reasons. Firstly, this allows us to base our recommendations on the most up-to-date information about your bone marrow. Secondly, our physicians and nurses do these tests almost daily and, therefore, are truly experts. Thirdly, if the marrow is obtained here, our doctors and researchers can use some of the material to apply the latest research findings or even develop new approaches, from which you and patients after you may benefit.

On your first visit to SCCA, you will first meet with your doctor, who will ask you questions about your medical history and your current problem. This will usually be followed by a physical exam. Then you will sit down for a conference with your doctor and other members of the team to discuss a treatment plan.

This visit usually lasts one to two hours. We recommend that you bring a friend or family member with you to your appointment for emotional support and to help you keep track of the information your team will be giving you. 

Where You Will Be Seen

If you have been referred to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance with a diagnosis (or suspected diagnosis) of MDS or MPN, you will generally be seen at the medical oncology clinic on the fourth floor of the SCCA clinic. Our doctors also see patients on the sixth floor of the clinic.

Follow-up

You may need to visit your doctor on a regular basis to check your health. During these visits your doctor will give you a physical exam and may give you tests to detect signs of disease. These may include blood tests, imaging procedures and assessments of your bone marrow. Follow-up visits are also a good time to talk with your doctor about how to manage any side effects you may have from your treatment. Your doctor will explain how often you need to visit.