Seeking Opinions on Cancer
By Michele Blandino
Cancer. Just hearing the word is enough to make most of us uncomfortable. And those who are diagnosed with cancer - or who have a loved one with the disease - find their world turned upside down virtually the second the diagnosis is made.
When a cancer diagnosis is made, there are seemingly hundreds of things that must be done at once. There are decisions to be made about treatment options. Then, there's the potential of surgery - either immediately or perhaps as a secondary form of treatment. The combination of shock and the overwhelming number of decisions that need to be made can easily render you helpless and cause you to go through the entire process as though your body were set on "autopilot".
Seeking Treatment
Usually, cancer is detected by a primary physician or a specialist such as a gynecologist or pulmonary specialist. Treatment, on the other hand, is managed by an oncologist - a doctor specializing in the treatment of cancer. Typically, the doctor making the cancer diagnosis will recommend an oncologist. As would be expected, each doctor has their own list of oncologists that they typically use for referrals.
There are two types of oncologists: radiation oncologists and chemotherapy oncologists; if you will be receiving both types of treatments, there is a good chance you will need to pick one doctor for each.
One of the primary objectives of a person newly diagnosed with cancer is to begin treatment immediately. As a result, they often don't take the time to consult with many doctors; instead, they begin their course of treatment with the recommended oncologist. Yet, what most people fail to realize is that just as there are family doctors with different philosophies, not every oncologist will approach - and treat - your cancer in the same way.
As a result, those newly diagnosed with cancer should take some time to be sure they have selected the right doctor.
Weighing the Options
So, where do you begin?
Whether you have a highly treatable form of cancer such as early stage prostate cancer or a very serious condition such as lung cancer, you want to be sure that you are comfortable with the oncologist you will be working with. For most people, comfort is directly related the doctor's competence; for many others, having a good rapport with their doctor is equally as important.
As mentioned earlier, when you receive your cancer diagnosis, chances are the diagnosing physician will refer you to an oncologist. Rather than taking the name of one doctor, as for three or four names. Then, ask your friends, relatives and neighbors for additional referrals.
With this information in hand, begin setting up appointments. Because of the time sensitive nature of most forms of cancer, chances are you will be seen pretty quickly.
For the most part, the types of questions you ask will depend largely on the type of cancer you have as well as the amount of information you are comfortable in having. For example, if you want to know about virtually every aspect of your treatment, an oncologist isn't very forthcoming with information will probably not be a good match. Likewise, if you prefer to have information provided in simple terms, you will not be comfortable with an oncologist who speaks largely in medical jargon.
