QUESTION:
When I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer I was very nervous, and experienced heightened emotions. After leaving the doctor appointment I felt I didn’t get a chance to express myself due to news I had just received. When diagnosed is it okay to get second opinions or look into possible alternative options? I read a lot of different things on the internet but I am thankful for this reliable resource. –Kyle, Salt Lake City, Utah
ANSWER:
Thanks for the great question, Kyle. I think its very important to get a second opinion, and more importantly, to get a second opinion from someone who specializes in Testicular Cancer.
First, I recommend all patients with a life-changing diagnosis to get a second opinion.
If you had appendicitis or a pneumonia, most physicians can care for that without issue. Even if you like the first doctor you see, a second opinion is definitely warranted for a new cancer diagnosis.
In fact, I recommend that most of my new patients to seek a second opinion to make sure they understand all of their options.
Second, Testicular Cancer is a relatively rare disease and not all urologists, medical oncologists, and primary care physicians understand the nuances of treatments and their side effects.
Consider this:there are approximately 10,000 urologists in the country and an estimated 8,000 men diagnosed with TC each year.
Therefore, on average, each urologist sees one TC patient per year. It’s not their fault, but you want to get an opinion from someone who sees a lot of TC patients.
Ultimately, you may return to the first urologist (or physician) you saw—and there’s nothing wrong with that either, but you should certainly seek an “expert” opinion.
I am happy to see any new TC patients at Hopkins, but there are many great centers around the country that can help you and we would be happy to point you in the direction of the one closest to you. – Dr. P
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Dr. Phillip M. Pierorazio, M.D. is the Director of the Division of Testicular Cancer and works with a number of testicular cancer advocacy groups around the country. He runs the testicular cancer “Go-Team” and coordinates the department’s research efforts in testicular cancer.
Photo:Markus Spiske/Flickr
This essay originally appeared on Mr. Ballsy.
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