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Diagnosis and Treatment
A Second Opinion
Chances are you've already seen one or more doctors about your condition. You may already have had tests and procedures needed to fully diagnose it. Once those are completed, your doctor will use that information to determine the type of cancer present, how far it has progressed and your best course of treatment.
If you are not acutely ill, you may want to get a second opinion on your treatment plan. In doing so, you may learn that there is more than one way to treat your cancer. Or, you may confirm that what your first doctor suggested is, indeed, the most up-to-date and effective option.
A second opinion will give you an independent review of your situation and a recommendation for a treatment plan. If you have been encouraged to start treatment immediately, and do not have the time to seek out a second specialist, it might help to talk things over with your own primary care physician. Don't be afraid to tell your doctor you want a second opinion. Treatment for cancer is a serious undertaking, and you need to feel fully confident in the treatment decisions you make and in the doctors who treat you.
How do you find a doctor who can give you a second opinion? First, ask your primary care physician or the doctor who has been treating you to date for a referral. Ask friends and family members, your insurance company, the benefits manager at your place of employment or the local office of the American Cancer Society. If you receive two medical opinions that vary widely, you may wish to obtain a third opinion.
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