Second Opinions are Important
- Home healthcare worker Janice Johnston was told she had a rare type of blood cancer, and went through chemotherapy for over a year. Once realizing her condition wasn’t improving, she consulted other doctors who told her she was misdiagnosed and did not have cancer.
- Second opinions can be invaluable resources to determine whether a cancer diagnosis is accurate. If it is, multiple opinions can also help create a thorough and effective treatment plan.
- Consulting a few doctors can be especially helpful when learning about treatment options for specific cancers, such as prostate cancer.
In 2017, Johnston, 53, was told by her doctors that she had been diagnosed with a type of rare blood cancer called Polycythaemia vera (PV) and would need to immediately start rounds of chemotherapy for treatment for the rest of her life. She went through chemo for 18 months but her condition didn’t improve whatsoever, which prompted her doctors to up the dosage of chemotherapy. Since she wasn’t feeling better, Johnston decided to consult other doctors in 2018 to get their opinion on her condition. Turns out, it was the best decision of her life. The second team of doctors informed her that she actually did not have cancer and her health issues were due to another condition.
Read MoreDr. Steven Rosenberg urges all those diagnosed with cancer to get multiple opinions
Educate Yourself
Sometimes, you may not be feeling well and go to the internet to search for some answers. However, the internet can be a dangerous place to figure out a health issue when symptoms you’re experience may be similar to cancer symptoms. Most of the time, the symptoms you’re experiencing doesn’t mean you have cancer. That’s why second opinions and credible information can be invaluable resources.
Related: Knowledge Is Power: Why Access to Good Information is So Important During Cancer
“Knowledge is power. Be proactive about your own health,” Amy Grantham, a breast cancer survivor, previously told SurvivorNet. “Be proactive about your own education surrounding your health. Learn as much as you can. Ask questions. Get other opinions.”
Cancer survivor Amy Grantham says knowledge is power when it comes to tackling cancer
Multiple Opinions Are So Important
Getting a cancer diagnosis is already an overwhelming experience, and then receiving information about the disease can leave patients confused and at a loss of what to do. Thanks to decades of research, it’s possible to get multiple opinions on whether a cancer diagnosis is accurate, and if it is, what the best treatment plan is. In fact, many oncologists encourage people to seek out other doctors’ advice before immediately jumping to conclusions.
Related: "Always Get a Second Opinion" San Diego Resident Lynn Brooks' Survivor Story
“If I had any advice for you following a cancer diagnosis, it would be, first, to seek out multiple opinions as to the best care, because finding a doctor who is up to the latest of information is important,” Dr. Steven Rosenberg, National Cancer Institute Chief of Surgery, previously told SurvivorNet. “It’s always important to get other opinions so that you can make the best decisions for yourself in consultation with your care providers.”
Seeking more information can be extremely helpful when navigating a treatment plan for certain types of cancers. For example, deciding between radiation or surgery for prostate cancer is often a decision that may take a few opinions.
Dr. Jim Hu says deciding between surgery and radiation for prostate cancer takes multiple opinions
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