When diagnosed with bladder cancer, you may feel overwhelmed or even powerless. Not knowing what will happen can cause anyone anxiety, which is why knowledge is power. Staying informed will help you and your family beat bladder cancer. You can start by asking your doctor these four questions.
Did you get a second opinion?
Since bladder cancer is done through a pathology test, it is a good idea to have the report sent to another doctor or hospital for a second opinion. You need to be 100% certain that the cancer is indeed bladder cancer. Just because the bladder is where the cancer was found, does not mean that is where it started. Different cancers require different treatments, so your doctor should get a second opinion on his diagnosis.
What are my treatment options?
Not all oncologists offer all treatment options. This is very important to know and is often quite shocking to find out. There are research treatments, clinical trials, and new therapies that not all oncologists provide. So it is important to find the right oncologist for you and your condition.
How many patients have you treated with this type of cancer?
This question may make you feel a little uncomfortable asking, but it is a legitimate question. If the treatment option is new, then you have a right to know that. Asking the doctor about the success rates they have seen with the various treatments they have administered, will often give you a better idea than national statistics.
If you are not happy with the doctor's answer, then you can find another doctor who is better equipped to administer a particular treatment. Just because your first oncologist isn't familiar with a treatment doesn't mean that the treatment doesn't exist or that other oncologists won't perform them.
Will you show me the studies that back up the treatment?
Every cancer treatment option will be backed up by clinical studies. The doctor should be able to give you the research that backs up their method of treatment. Since most bladder cancer treatments involve toxic chemicals, it is very important to know that the medicine itself won't kill you and to know what all of the potential side-effects will be.
Everyone is different and everyone handles medication differently. However, that should not stop you from asking for the research that supports the treatment options recommended.
Information:
The Internet is full of information on bladder cancer. You can find clinical information through websites like the American Cancer Society or the Mayo Clinic. Then there are support groups and survivors sharing stories. Finding a doctor is even made easier with DoctorFinders.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/4-questions-to-ask-your-doctor-about-bladder-cancer-1233288.html
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