Diagnosed With Cancer? What Now?
Peter C. Raich, MD, FACP
Chief Medical Officer, Prosocial Applications, Inc.
Professor Emeritus, U. of Colorado
For many people, a diagnosis of cancer is completely unexpected, like a lightning bolt out of a blue sky. With our busy lives, as with many things, we are not concerned with cancer unless it affects us directly. Thus, when newly diagnosed with cancer, the majority of us will be faced with the sudden need to search out cancer doctors and cancer centers dealing with certain cancers and cancer treatments.
Finding the Right Cancer Doctor
In “How to Find the Right Oncologist for You” (August 22, 2024, New York Times), Ted Alcorn described the difficult decisions that newly diagnosed cancer patients face. These include narrowing the search for appropriate cancer care, getting a second opinion, and actively expressing preferences and values regarding treatment and quality of life choices.
Your primary care or family practice doctor involved in the diagnosis of your cancer, can be a big help in recommending what kind of cancer specialist you should see next and also discus with you what kind of specialist you yourself wish to consult. Would you want to be seen at a large specialized, cancer center with experience with many types of cancer, including the less common types? Would you rather be seen and treated closer to home at a smaller cancer treatment center? You can also be evaluated and have a treatment plan given to you at a large comprehensive cancer center and have subsequent treatments and follow-up by local oncologists in coordination with the center.
Expressing Your Preferences and Values
In my 40 years as practicing medical oncologist, I have found it best when patients and their families make choices that best fit their own preferences and values. While treatment outcomes and survival rates are important, achieving the best possible quality of life should be the overarching goal. Look for doctors who have treatment goals similar to yours; whether to go all out no matter what the side-effects of treatment, or to balance treatment benefits with anticipated side effects, or to accept a symptom control strategy in late-stage cancers when cure is unlikely.
Another important characteristic to explore with your doctors is their style of decision making. Do they have a paternalistic, controlling style, or are they comfortable in a joint decision-making setting, where patient and doctor participate equally? Are they willing to spend valuable time to thoroughly explain the details of your diagnosis, treatment recommendations and possible outcomes, so that you can make an informed decision together? On the other hand, some people are not interested in hearing such details and are comfortable in having the doctor make the major decisions.
Finding the Right Cancer Specialist
Most of us understand that surgeons cut out the cancerous tissue and radiotherapists or radiation oncologists use specialized x-rays, and proton beams to kill the cancer. These treatment methods are most useful in early-stage cancers, when the cancer is still localized and appears to have not spread. In later stages, the additional role of the medical oncologist allows for the use of systemic chemotherapy and biological therapies. Here it is important to remember the saying: “to a carpenter with a hammer everything looks like a nail.” For common cancers like breast and prostate cancers, either surgery or radiation are effective treatment in the early stages. However, which treatment the patient gets is often determined by who sees him or her first. Here, a second opinion from different types of cancer specialists can provide a balanced picture of the benefits and down-sides for each.
Both breast and prostate cancer often initially look like they are local (Stage I or II) but may still spread after the initial surgery or radiation. It is therefore important to include a medical oncologist on the initial treatment team to decide if early chemotherapy or biological therapy are needed to lessen the chances of subsequent spread and recurrence of the cancer.
Right now, you are probably asking: how do I find the right kind of cancer specialist who has a lot of experience with my type of cancer, has good treatment results, is located either at a large cancer center or closer to home, who sees new patients, and who takes my insurance plan? For many, the first response is to go on the internet, where you can be overwhelmed very quickly. Some basic information can be obtained by searching the 72 National Cancer Institute’s designated cancer centers, the 1,500 cancer programs accredited by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer, and the 300 treatment centers specially certified by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Navigating Cancer Care with RedKangaroo®
At RedKangaroo®, we have developed a better way. We turned the best practices of cancer patient navigation into the HIPAA-compliant, patient-centered, interoperable RK360® NAVI App. The NAVI App empowers cancer patients, their family caregivers and providers by simplifying cross-system coordination of care. By giving them tools to answer their everyday questions.
The RK360® Find Best Care Directory allows you to find cancer care wherever you are, nearby or at distant cancer centers. You can match with cancer specialists and subspecialists covered by your insurance plans. You can discover their expertise with surgical and medical procedures, and cancer treatment outcomes.
With the RK360® NAVI App, you can also make in-person or telehealth appointments and provide initial medical, ID and Insurance information electronically to a new provider. You can securely import your electronic health records from one provider and share them with another provider, for example between your current primary care doctor and new cancer treatment specialists. With the App you can also track symptoms, diagnoses, medications and immunizations. All without data reselling or big tech surveillance.
The RK360® NAVI App helps you avoid needless treatment errors, repeat testing, and out-of-pocket spending. It streamlines shared decision making, supports data-driven cancer care and allows you to concentrate on getting better.
Explore free RK360® options for cancer patients and family caregivers now!
