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NUMBED
by the shock of a cancer diagnosis, some patients rush
to visit an oncologist and never seek a second opinion.
But taking time to carefully choose an oncologist—a
cancer specialist—can make a difference in battling the
life-threatening disease. “I cannot overemphasize how
homework in the beginning can really impact so
significantly the overall outcomes and satisfactions
with the care you receive,” said Dr. Paul Liu, medical
director of the cancer program and chief of gynecologic
oncology at South Nassau Communities Hospital in
Oceanside.
Liu
suggests getting referrals from primary-care doctors, as
well as family members and friends who have battled
cancer and were satisfied with their care. Patients
should consider interviewing several oncologists and
should check their academic credentials and whether
they’re board-certified.
If you
feel uncomfortable with one oncologist who’s been
recommended, consult another, Liu says.
“There’s
no need to feel shy,” Liu says. “When patients come in,
the last thing I say is: I recommend you seek a second
opinion.”
Oncologists should advise patients about all available
treatments and address their concerns, Liu says, noting
that a defensive doctor is probably a “red light.” He
also suggests that good care often can be found close to
home, though patients with rare cancers might want to
seek treatment at large, university-based hospitals with
more specialties.
At the
Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success, part of the North
Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Dr. Iuliana
Shapira, an oncologist, says identifying an outstanding
hospital that offers cancer treatment can help in the
search for an oncologist.
“When
you have a hospital that has a very good reputation,
they [patients] can choose from among the best
physicians,” Shapira says. Shapira also suggests
patients consider oncologists who either participate in
clinical-drug trials or are familiar with them and might
know about experimental treatments.
“Once
you’re [a doctor] in clinical trials, you know a little
bit more about cancer,” Shapira says.
At
Huntington Hospital, Gail Probst, an advanced oncology
nurse who is director of cancer services, says patients
should look for an oncologist who pays attention to
their concerns and those of their families.
“The
oncologist is going to follow you for a lifetime,”
Probst says. “They follow you once the actual acute
stage of the disease has gone.”
Sometimes, Probst said, patients might become unhappy
with their oncologists after several visits. In cases
like that, patients should express any qualms they have
to their oncologists, Probst said. If things don’t
improve, it might be time for a change.
“You can
always switch,” Probst says. “Get all opinions up front
and feel comfortable in the decision you’ve made.”
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