Your mammogram showed a lump suspicious for breast cancer. A subsequent biopsy confirms breast cancer. Your doctor outlines a course of treatment.
Your mammogram showed a lump suspicious for breast cancer. A subsequent biopsy confirms breast cancer. Your doctor outlines a course of treatment.You are anxious and just want to get the cancer out and get treatment over with, but what about getting a second opinion? Many health insurance companies will pay for a second opinion, in fact, some companies require a second opinion.
What are the benefits of a second opinion? You will have more information about your treatment options.
Whether the second opinion confirms what your first doctor recommends or gives you other options to explore, you will feel that you looked carefully at your treatment options. Hopefully, it will make you feel more confident about the decisions you make about treatment.
You may be concerned about delaying treatment in order to get a second opinion. Ask your doctor if a possible delay of a few weeks in starting treatment would be a problem . Some women with breast cancer need treatment right away.
if you are not sure of how to go about finding a doctor for a second opinion about treatment, here are a few suggestions:
- You can ask your family doctor
- Call your local or state medical society for a referral
- Contact a cancer center or a nearby hospital for a referral
- Call a medical school for the names of breast cancer specialists
Another source is the National Cancer Institute. Just call the NCI Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or at LiveHelp (http://www.cancer.gov/livehelp).
