Hi Gabe, Your question below is an honest question that many cancer patients grapple with. I often start my consultation with my patients, "Even with all our knowledge and advances in medicine, there are basically only three approaches to get rid of cancer - surgery, radiation therapy and systemic (chemo) therapy."
In the past we used to use only one of these options (mono-therapy) in any given patient. Now we realize that each of these options have their strengths and their LIMITATIONS. Hence the current approach is to use a combination of these options. Thus one treatment compensates for the limitation of the other. And each treatment does not have to be too aggressive. Using this, team approach, we can get as good as or better results with LESS side-effects. The "bottom line" is the patient does not know which is the best approach to their cancer and how to sequence the combination. This information can only be obtained by the patient getting a 'second opinion' from another specialist. As we say a 'Ford car dealer' (even if he is your brother-in-law) is not going to recommend a Toyota car. The customer has to check it out for themselves. When the patient seeks a second opinion, that gives the "second" doctor the right and the duty to dialogue with the first doctor about the nuances of the patient's cancer and suggest a best approach for that individual's cancer. A good doctor never objects to a 'second' opinion. I say to my patients,"by all means do so. If the other doctor agrees with me, you will have even more trust and confidence in me instead of constantly second guessing me. If the other doctor suggest something different, that is an alternative for the patient to consider." By the same token nothing helps me better manage my informed patient, than one who is at peace and concentrates to help themselves. Second opinions are good for any major treatment, not only for cancer. Kind Regards, GL ---------- Gabe Menezes I believe the bottom line, is this - would one rather have invasive surgery or do not, when afflicted with Cancer; is chemotherapy and radio treatment the only options ? _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
