Dr. Mikkeal A Sekeres, chief of the division of hematology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, shared what to do first after receiving a cancer diagnosis.
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
Dr. Mikkeal A Sekeres, chief of the division of hematology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami, learned this firsthand when his 74-year-old mother was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2017.
He wrote for the Washington Post that despite her experience, “when my mother called me to tell me about her lung cancer diagnosis in 2017, my brain had a hard time keeping up with what my ears were hearing.”
“Suddenly, I found myself thrust into the drama of cancer and playing an unfamiliar role: Instead of being an oncologist calmly providing information, contextualizing a diagnosis, and developing a treatment plan, I was a patient’s son trying to get answers. “.
With a record two million Americans expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year, Dr. Sekeres shared his top tips for coping with the disease, including how to ensure you receive the best and most timely care.
Dr. Sekeres’ advice includes getting a formal diagnosis and seeking a second opinion.
Dr. Sekeres first recommended patients get a formal diagnosis as quickly as possible. He noted that while this may seem obvious, “most people learn of a possible cancer diagnosis from someone who does not specialize in cancer.”
This includes a primary care doctor finding a lump, abnormal blood test results, and a radiologist finding a mass on a scan.
Dr. Sekeres cautioned that while these findings may look like cancer, a specialist must perform a biopsy to confirm that cancer cells are present. ‘Try to stay calm until you get a formal diagnosis through additional testing. “That lump may not be cancer,” he wrote.
He pointed to an early study in the British Cancer Journalwhich found that of patients with swollen lymph nodes whose doctors suspected cancer, only 17 percent actually had the disease.
Additionally, he suggested immediately determining how serious the cancer is. “Before assuming the worst, seek expert advice about the severity of the cancer,” she wrote.
To determine the stage of the cancer, or how much it has spread, other tests are required, including scans and biopsies.
And while it’s okay to go online and do some research, be careful with your sources. He pointed to a 2018 study in the Cancer Education Magazinewhich found that only 67 percent of cancer information shared on social media is accurate.
“Nonprofit organizations (such as established patient advocacy groups), government and academic websites tended to be the most reliable sources,” Dr. Sekeres wrote.
When it’s time for your first appointment with an oncologist, come with a list of questions and take notes during the meeting.
Because this can be overwhelming, Dr. Sekeres recommends bringing a friend or family member to help you. In the case of his family, he went with his mother to his appointment and took notes on his computer.
In one studynoted that when older adults with cancer were asked to recall information about their treatment and side effects, only 23 percent remembered the correct answers.
That said, it’s also okay to see another oncologist for a second opinion. Dr. Sekeres suggested looking for a large academic cancer center if there is one nearby, as these facilities typically have more resources and the most up-to-date technology.
It is around this time that Dr. Sekeres recommends having a pathologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing conditions and interpreting tests, review the biopsy and other results.
Dr. Sekeres and his colleagues published a study in October of more than 900 patients with suspected bone marrow cancer. The team found that pathologists with experience in the condition disagreed with the diagnosis given by pathologists who were less familiar 20 percent of the time.
Additionally, seven percent of patients who received an incorrect diagnosis also received the incorrect treatment.
“This is why it is so important to seek a second opinion from a pathologist to confirm the diagnosis, as well as from an oncologist to verify the best treatment plan,” Dr. Sekeres wrote.