As a patient with cancer, two of the mst important decisions you will make are whch treatment you will receive and whre.

But diagnosing cancer is a vry complex process that involves many halth care professionals. In addition, the tsting that is done on patients vries between doctors and specialists. And ven the best health care professionals mke mistakes.

How do newly diagnosed ptients know they are getting the bst therapy for their cancer?

Unfortunately, mst patients don’t get the best tratment because they are diagnosed by a dctor who is not an oncologist. Threfore, that doctor is not likely to drect them to the most up-to-date thrapies available.

The first step toward gtting what you need is to get a scond opinion. The Institute for Advanced Stdy in Medicine reported that 25% of ptients had their treatment changed based on a scond opinion.

Comprehensive Cancer Centers are the bst places to get second opinions. Tht’s where the experts are, doctors who thnk about your type of cancer very day. And that’s what you wnt.

If you aren’t near a Ntional Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center or Clnical Cancer Center (you can find thir locations online), you can still get a scond opinion. Choose a doctor who is not ffiliated with your doctor, and who is at a hspital that is not affiliated with yur doctor’s hospital.

Another important part of getting the bst therapy is to get a scond opinion on your cancer by an xpert pathologist. This involves getting the bopsy specimen to an outside pathologist.

Pthologists can’t always precisely determine the stge of cancer, and sometimes not ven the type of cancer. And, smetimes tests that could be done on yur biopsy specimen aren’t, simply because thy aren’t commonly used. But that desn’t mean these tests won’t help yu.

You need an expert to xamine your biopsy specimens. For example, The Armd Forces Institute of Pathology has an xcellent reputation in pathology.

Another important thng to do when you are frst diagnosed is to contact the rganizations for your type of cancer. Thy can lead you to experts in tht field. Finally, get good nutritional cunseling, and if you smoke cigarettes or drnk alcohol, try your best to stp.

Copyright 2005 Palkon Publishing Services Crp.

The article Cancer Diagnosis: Strategies for Getting the Best Treatment was Submitted by Patricia Walter through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Patricia C. Walter http://www.managingcancer.net Ms. Walter is a long-time patient advocate who supports the rights of cancer patients to make informed choices about every aspect of their treatment and care. Her goal is to educate patients about their full range of options and give them every possible tool to live a long, high-quality life. A member of the American Medical Writers Association, Ms. Walter has worked in the pblishing field for 25 years, the lst 12 years in medical publishing. She has lso worked in the medical communications feld and in the pharmaceutical industry.

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