Cancer Surgery Options
Several procedures have been developed for the treatment of cancer. The procedure chosen will depend on several factors. Your surgeon for instance may prefer certain cancer surgery options based on his personal experience and this is where you may need to find out if you have the best surgeon for your cancer operation.
Getting the Right Surgeon
Your general practitioner may randomly assign a surgeon in their network to your case, but you have a right to choose a different surgeon from the one your doctor recommends. Do not assume that you have to use the surgeon that your doctor recommends to you. Some surgeries may be handled by a general practitioner, but with the majority of cancers you really need to have a specialist. Do some research to be sure to get the right surgeon for your form of cancer.
For this you could use the family network and rely on the famous word of mouth. Neighbours and friends too can be a source of information. You may find that you know someone that has undergone the kind of surgery that you are planning to have. If they are the sort of person you do not mind telling about your planned operation then go ahead and ask them about the surgeon they used. Ask if they liked the services of this surgeon and if they were pleased by the results of the surgery. If these reviews sound great to you then you may have found the right surgeon.
If yours is one of those common cancers, there may be a support group in your area or online. These support groups are great sources of information and emotional support. You could also find out from your general practitioner the list of groups in the local area. These lists may also be available on the NHS and private websites.
Cancer Surgery Options
For a given cancer there could be more than one surgical procedure your surgeon could use. Most surgical procedures involve some risk but some may involve more risk than others. As the person that will live with the consequences of the surgery and its after effects, you need to participate in the discussion to decide which option is taken.
This is a fight for your life and it pays to empower yourself. Begin by learning all you can about the healthcare system and how to get the most appropriate care for your condition. Being empowered means you take an active role in the management of your condition. If this means taking a stand to decide which doctor handles your case, or insisting to have a say as to what treatment option is best for you, so be it!
The decision to have cancer surgery may not always be in your hands. Some cancers may just require a surgical solution. But the cancer surgery options adopted in your case may have a critical impact on your quality of life after the surgery, and for this reason you need to empower yourself before the surgery – and to participate in the decision-making process.