The Word “Cancer” May Change Everything in a Second
Many people say that when they heard, “You have cancer,” they went numb and didn’t hear a word the doctor said after that. You might think that there has been some mistake, or it may take some time to believe what the doctor tells you, especially if you don’t feel sick.
The days and weeks right after a diagnosis can be very stressful. Sometimes they’re overwhelming. You may feel it difficult coping with so much to learn and so many decisions to make. For most people, cancer changes everything.
Ask All of Your Questions!
You might feel like you must act as quickly as possible, like it’s an emergency. This is sometimes necessary, but often it is not. Ask your doctor how much time you have to make a decision and begin treatment. In most cases, you have time to do more research, get a second opinion, and even consult with a counseling expert to discuss your options, personal goals, and wishes.
Ask your doctor to write down the name and stage of your cancer. There are many different types of cancer. “Stage” refers to the size of the cancer tumor and how far it has spread in your body. Knowing the name and stage of your cancer will help you find out more about your cancer and which treatment choices you have.
Ask your doctor to tell you about your treatment options. Ask how each treatment can help and which side effects you might have. Let your doctor know if you need more time to think about these issues before you choose one.
Ask as many questions as you need to. Your doctor needs to know your questions and concerns. Write down your questions and bring them with you to your visit. Ask your most important questions first, in case the doctor runs out of time.
Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Follows Scientific Guidelines
How your doctor will treat you should not be based on their personal experience alone. The internet has provided a digital connection of doctors from all around the world, exchanging their experiences, observations, and their research work in cancer treatment. For most cancer entities, national and international guidelines are available for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. These guidelines are based on scientific studies, which treatment for which patients have shown to work best. The adherence to these evidence-based guidelines offers clear benefits to patients, as it is associated with their better outcome.
However, the proportion of patients who receive treatment in accordance with oncological guidelines is not known. Not every patient is able to attend a specialized oncological center for various reasons, such as a lack of awareness regarding their availability or the distances required to travel to the specialized center.
The Importance of Second Opinion in Oncology
Health decisions are never easy. When it comes to a cancer treatment, your survival might depend on it. Of course, you want to make sure to get the most promising treatment. Therefore, newly diagnosed cancer patients often seek a second opinion from a doctor in a different cancer center. And yes, the opportunity to obtain a second opinion on medical issues is currently becoming increasingly important given the availability of new, individualized treatment options.
You might want to see another doctor for one or more of the following reasons:
- to confirm your diagnosis
- to find out if there are other treatment options
- to obtain information about modern and more experimental treatment options
- to support what you have already been told about your condition and treatment
- because you don’t feel that you can talk to your current doctor
- because you don’t agree with your current doctor
The benefits of seeing another doctor may include:
- feeling reassured that different doctors agree on your diagnosis and treatment
- having different treatments to choose from if the second doctor offers you a different treatment
Seeing a different doctor may sometimes have disadvantages. These include:
- a possible delay in starting treatment
- travelling to another hospital could be difficult or even impossible
- you might feel confused if the second opinion is different to the first one
- you might find it difficult to make a decision if you are offered a different treatment
Next Level: TheKnowHow Second Opinion
Not just another opinion, not even more choice, not additional confusion — second opinion in oncology needs information and guidance.
Yes, there can be more than one option: In cancer treatment, therapies can be personalized depending on the tumor type, its molecular characteristics, its stage, but also on your age, gender, coexisting ailments, and even on your personal preferences.
This is why patients’ engagement in a shared decision-making process has become so important. However, doctors’ time and explanations are often too short, and many patients lack the knowledge required to make a sound decision.
Consequently, our independent second medical opinion provides you with a written report in layman’s terms highlighting the advantages and risks of all previous, planned, or alternative treatment plans. Our experts’ explanations are not just another opinion, which might make it more difficult to decide or add to your confusion. Their aim is to educate and empower you to understand your treatment options. If you need additional clarity, our medical office is there for you in an online consulting about the second opinion report. We assist you in your decision-making.
Important to know: To ensure an unbiased and objective evaluation, our medical experts must not be involved in your future therapy. As a result, they solely focus on your best outcome without further own economic considerations such as suggesting expensive treatments.
Finally, our medical experts specialize in remote and record-based work. Supported by our medical office you simply upload your medical documents to a secure space on our server. We anonymize your data and assign the best international medical specialist to take care of your concerns. You won’t have to wait for appointments or make costly or exhausting travels, which may delay your treatment. We provide you with your expert’s report within a few working days.
Read more on PATIENTS and SECOND OPIGNION REQUEST
a contribution of Dr. Gabriele Stumm
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