Why Is It Important to Get a Second Opinion for Cancer Treatment?

It is very difficult for a patient diagnosed with cancer to immediately understand in detail the complex diagnostic and treatment processes that await them. It will take time to understand why this has happened to them and to find answers to the dozens or hundreds of questions that arise in their mind. In this process, the responsibility falls to us oncologists. Helping the patient and their loved ones feel comfortable and find answers to their questions by learning more about the disease provides them with some relief. In such a situation, the need to obtain a second expert opinion arises.

What Is a Second Opinion?

You may ask another physician to evaluate your results or request that the treatment plan recommended by your own physician be reviewed by another physician; this is called obtaining a second opinion .

Cancer treatment is one of the branches of medicine that has undergone the greatest development and change since 2000. As a result, there are dozens of different medications and treatment options even for a single type of cancer.

Today, patients and their loved ones are also expected to participate in the decision-making process for the different treatment options presented by the physician. This situation can cause confusion. The most important way to prevent this confusion is to adequately inform the patient and their loved ones about the cancer and its treatment options. The more information provided about treatment options, the stronger and more satisfactory their participation in the treatment decision will be. For this reason, a cancer patient may wish to obtain a second opinion from another specialist medical oncologist or hemato-oncologist.

A second opinion does not bother the physician who made the initial diagnosis; on the contrary, they will support this initiative.

In a second opinion obtained from a specialist medical oncologist or hematologist, the pathology report, the extent of the cancer's spread, and the recommended treatment are reviewed, and the patient's general health is assessed.

Is There Enough Time to Get a Second Opinion?

The cancer treatment decisionshould be made after you have learned everything you can about your diagnosis, the course of your disease, and your current treatment options. This may take time depending on the type of cancer you have. For some cancers, treatment decisions must be made immediately and treatment must be started quickly (for example, leukemia and germ cell tumors). However, for many other types of cancer, you can take time to consider the treatment options and make the best decision.

Why Should a Cancer Patient Get a Second Opinion?

The reasons for obtaining a second opinion are as follows:

• You want to make sure that you have learned about all treatment options.
• If you have a rare or unusual cancer.
• If you think another treatment may be possible.
• If your doctor is not an expert in the type of cancer you have.
• If your doctor says that there is uncertainty about the type or stage of the cancer you have.
• If your doctor offers you several different treatment options.
• If you have difficulty understanding or communicating with your doctor, or if you want someone else to explain your options.
• If you want the reassurance that you have received the correct diagnosis and made the right treatment choice.

Knowing the type and course of the cancer in detail will facilitate the patient's participation in and adherence to the treatment decision. At this point, obtaining a second opinion may benefit a patient and their loved ones who have not sufficiently understood the type and course of the cancer.

Because of treatment benefits and side effects we oncologists may sometimes offer our patients more than one treatment option. In rare tumors, treatment decisions, treatment planning for cancers with low response rates, and the recommendation of treatment protocols with high rates of side effects are situations that cause the greatest confusion for patients and their loved ones and create the need for a second expert opinion.

Sometimes, medical treatments and/or radiotherapy administered before surgical treatment can increase surgical success. In such cases, before cancer surgery obtaining a second opinion may benefit the patient.

• Related topic: Cancer patients seek second opinions when deciding on surgery: Research findings on motivations, needs, and expectations

A cancer patient whose disease is still at an early stage, and their loved ones, will feel they are in safe hands when they have sufficient information about the processes they will face and the course of the disease. Thus, more positive treatment outcomes can be achieved, and the patient and their loved ones can get through this process more easily.

How Do You Talk to Your Doctor About Getting a Second Opinion?

Some patients find it difficult to tell their doctors that they want a second opinion. Remember that it is common for patients to obtain a second opinion and that doctors are pleased with this request. If you are unsure how to begin, here are several ways to start the conversation:

• "I am thinking about getting a second opinion. Can you recommend someone?”
• "I would like to get a second opinion before starting treatment. Can you help me with this?”
• “If you had my type of cancer, whom would you contact for a second opinion?”

What Should You Expect from the Second-Opinion Process?

It is important to be able to provide the doctor from whom you are obtaining a second opinion with complete details of your diagnosis and planned treatment. Make sure you have the following information on hand and always keep copies for yourself:

• A copy of your pathology report from any biopsy or surgery
• If you have had surgery, a copy of your surgical report
• If you are in the hospital, a copy of the discharge summary prepared by each doctor when patients are sent home
• A summary of your doctor's current treatment plan or the plan presented to you as an option
• A list of all your medications, medication doses, and when you take them, since some medications may have long-term side effects

You can request copies of your reports from your current doctor. If you have been treated or had tests at a hospital or clinic, you may need to contact the medical records department to learn how to obtain these records. Remember that most medical records can be accessed through e-Nabız.

ASCO and ESMO leading international cancer organizations such as these have published guidelines stating that cancer patients should definitely obtain a second opinion during the treatment decision-making process.