After getting a confirmed cancer diagnosis, you will of course want to receive treatment as soon as possible before the cancer cells spread. You need to find out as quickly as possible which treatments are more effective and safe for you, and then choose the best treatment plan for you. Of course, you should trust your doctor, but you may want to get a second opinion and have another doctor review your exam reports and treatment plan to see what kind of treatment is best for you.
If you decide to seek a second opinion, you’ll need to request a copy of certain reports from your doctor, including the pathology report, a CD-ROM of the results of your imaging exams, and other exam reports. Some people may find it hard to ask for a copy of the reports from their doctor. But it’s actually common practice to seek a second opinion on cancer treatments. Most patients will consult more than one doctor before deciding on a treatment plan.
Talk to your doctor about the Multi-Disciplinary Team approach in diagnosing and treating patients with breast cancer, as this is already the recommended standard of care in approaching this condition.
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References:
- Lu, J.; Jiang, Y.; Qian, M.; Lv, L.; Ying, X. The Improved Effects of a Multidisciplinary Team on the Survival of Breast Cancer Patients: Experiences from China. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 277. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010277, Accessed July 2024.
- Selby P, et al. The Value and Future Developments of Multidisciplinary Team Cancer Care. https://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/EDBK_236857. Accessed February 2022.