Regional Cancer Center: Sommers Gara M MD

Stay away if not in network uses vile collection agency money hungry

My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2010. Dr. Sommers was recommended to her by her primary doctor. After mom's hysterectomy she underwent chemotherapy at Holy Name Hospital. My mother had severe reactions to the chemo. Her electrolytes were depleted and she was trembling after her first chemo cycle. She had to be rushed to the hospital to have her magnesium and potassium levels brought up to normal. This happened again with her second chemo cycle. Dr. Sommers did not address the issue. We as the family had to implore her not to send our mother home after her chemo sessions in order to check her blood levels to avoid her being rushed to the hospital. Sommers ignorantly attributed this to my mom's 'nerves'. Googling this we discovered that a sudden steep drop in magnesium causes panic attacks. To make a long story short the chemo wrecked her body and this Dr. Sommers wasn't attentive to this until the family got involved. When questioned she didn't even know what stage of ovarian cancer my mother had. She told us to refer to the surgeon who performed the hysterectomy. Can you believe that?

After 4 chemo session my mom when into remission for a short time. The cancer returned and formed tumors on her liver. The time between detecting this and actually getting her back to chemo was way too long. The chemo cycles continued to wreak havoc on my poor mother's body as the cancer spread. Even her primary doctor told myself and my father that this chemo was doing no good and that the cancer was too spread out. Her primary doctor with a heavy heart told me that my mom had 6 months to live and that she was better off in hospice. He based this on a second opinion he got from another oncologist he consulted. When I confronted Dr Sommers with this she denied that my mother was at that stage and continued with the chemotherapy. After 2 chemo cycles they stopped. The hospital called the family to have a meeting. Instead of Dr. Sommers showing up, she sent another oncologist, Dr. Raimonda Goldman. Dr. Goldman gave us the news that the chemo was no longer effective and that mom needed to go into hospice. I found Goldman to be very cold and rude when we asked her questions.

My experience with Dr. Gara Sommers and Holy Name Hospital of Teaneck was awful. Dr. Sommers was cold, indifferent and unprofessional. She knowingly continued the chemo longer to increase her hospital's profit margin. She did this despite the fact that the chemo was not helping my mother at all.

Please, to whoever is reading this, stay away from Dr. Gara Sommers and Holy Name Hospital of Teaneck, NJ. It is the worst oncology department of any hospital ever. They are unorganized and incompetent. If you have any loved one with cancer take them to Sloan Kettering, Hackensack University Hospital or any other reputable cancer center.