15 Questions to Ask Your Oncologist About Chemotherapy, Radiation or Surgery Dr. Véronique Desaulniers, D.C.
15 Questions to Ask Your Oncologist About Chemotherapy, Radiation or Surgery Findings from a national survey of oncologists and breast cancer patients were recently released in conjunction with the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. The study found that doctors report discussing integrative health with only about half of patients, leading patients to seek information outside the clinic. "Cancer is a complex disease that affects every component of a patient's life. While conventional medicine is effective for curing disease, it can fall short in helping patients heal," said Wayne Jonas, MD, report co-author. (1) Your oncologist is focused on removing and destroying the visible part of your cancer, which is a good thing. However, one must be aware that there are still circulating tumor cells that need to be addressed in order to prevent the recurrence and spread of the cancer. (2) The good news is that certain plant-based substances have gained immense attention in breast cancer research in recent times. For example, curcumin (3), sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts and EGCG from green tea have been shown to target these breast cancer cells. (4)
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Your Rights as a Patient
If you are sitting in a doctor’s office, you are a patient; you are also a consumer. This means that your doctor is working for you. You also have the right to ask questions and, according to law, your physicians must inform you of all significant health risks associated with the treatments they are suggesting. You have the right to “fire” your doctor and to get second or third opinions. How do you feel when you leave your appointment? If you leave feeling dejected and mistreated, find a medical team that will make you feel more comfortable and supported.
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If you are considering conventional treatments or have already started the treatment process, here are some questions to ask your oncologist.
1. Exactly what kind of breast cancer do I have? Is it slow growing or fast growing?
2. What do you think caused my cancer?
3. What kind of treatments are you recommending? Why did you decide on this type of treatment?
4. What is the goal of the treatment? Does it kill ALL the cancer cells so I don’t have to worry about a recurrence?
5. What tests did you use to determine that this is the best course of treatment for me? (If your doctor suggests chemotherapy, ask him why he chose those specific chemo drugs for you).
6. What are the expected side effects? Are there long-term and short-term side effects?
7. Is there anything I can do to minimize the side effects?
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Continued questions to ask your oncologist.
8. What is the expected outcome of the treatment? Is this a “short term” or a “long term” solution?
9. Will I be “cured” or is it possible that there be a recurrence?
10. How will you protect my immune system during and after these treatments?
11. I know that radiation can causes cancer – will these treatments increase my risk of cancer or cause damage my lungs or heart?
12. Do you recommend any dietary or lifestyle changes to help prevent a recurrence?
13. What is your opinion on supplementation and nutrition while I am on this treatment and afterwards?
14. If I choose not to do your recommended treatments, will you be willing to support me so I can monitor my condition with blood tests and scans?
15. If I have a serious concern, how can I reach you outside of business hours?
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Reference Links
1.https://ecancer.org/en/news/20417-asco-2021-breastcancer-patients-embrace-integrative-health-duringtreatment 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8869884/ 3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25315241/ 4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27609747/ 5.https://ecancer.org/en/news/20417-asco-2021-breastcancer-patients-embrace-integrative-health-duringtreatment
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