Second Opinions
First and foremost it is important to get more than one opinion about your diagnosis and treatment.
There are many treatment options available as well as a large number of health care providers who treat and manage prostate cancer. The recommendation you get from one provider may be different from another and may be based on varying areas of expertise. In order to make an informed decision about your course of treatment, you should educate yourself on all of the treatment options available and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Health Care Professionals that treat and manage prostate cancer include:
- General (family) Practitioners and Internists (internal medicine)
- Radiation Oncologists
- Urologists
- Medical Oncologists
- Pathologists
Ways to find a physician for a second opinion:
- Ask your doctor to refer you to more than one type of specialist (for instance, ask for the name of 1 urologist and 1 radiation oncologist who treat prostate cancer).
- Call the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Information Line at
1-800-4-CANCER to find nearby treatment centers. - Contact the American Board of Medical Specialties at www.abms.org for a directory of physicians who have certification in the specialties you are interested in.
- Contact your local hospital, medical society or nearby medical school.
It is important to understand there is no one treatment that is right for every man. Your decision for treatment should be based on your overall health, the characteristics of your cancer, your lifestyle and confidence in the skill level of the physician providing the treatment.
Treatment options may involve radiation therapy, surgery, hormone therapy, watchful waiting, or a combination of treatments. The doctors you select for opinions should describe to you in full each treatment option, the expected results and the short and long term side effects you can expect.
