Second Opinion
Before starting treatment, you may want a second
opinion about your diagnosis, the stage of cancer, and
the treatment plan. You may also want to find a
medical center that has a lot of experience with treating
people with liver cancer. You may even want to talk to
several different doctors about all of the treatment
options, their side effects, and the expected results. For
example, you could discuss your treatment plan with a
hepatobiliary surgeon, radiation oncologist, and
medical oncologist.
Some people worry that the doctor will be offended
if they ask for a second opinion. Usually the opposite
is true. Most doctors welcome a second opinion. And
many health insurance companies will pay for a second
opinion if you or your doctor requests it. Some
companies require a second opinion.
If you get a second opinion, the second doctor may
agree with your first doctor's diagnosis and treatment
plan. Or the second doctor may suggest another
approach. Either way, you have more information and
perhaps a greater sense of control. You can feel more
confident about the decisions you make, knowing that
you've looked at your options.
It may take some time and effort to gather your
medical records and see another doctor. In most cases,
it's not a problem to take several weeks to get a second
opinion. The delay in starting treatment usually will
not make treatment less effective. To make sure, you
should discuss this delay with your doctor.
There are many ways to find a doctor for a second
opinion. You can ask your doctor, a local or state
medical society, a nearby hospital, or a medical school
for names of specialists.
Also, you can request a consultation with specialists
at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in
Bethesda, Maryland. Specialists in the NCI Surgery
Branch provide consultations and surgical care for
people with liver cancer. The telephone number is
301-496-4164. The Web site is located at
http://ccr.cancer.gov/labs/lab.asp?labid=93.
The NCI Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER
(1-800-422-6237) can tell you about nearby
treatment centers. Other sources can be found in the
NCI fact sheet How To Find a Doctor or Treatment
Facility If You Have Cancer.
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