Value the second opinion for cancer

Basics

A cancer diagnosis is often complex and unprecedented.  You don’t feel prepared and often feel undirected on where to go from here and how to prepare for the next steps. When we face major life decisions like buying a house or choosing a career, we explore several options. It includes reviewing the risks, benefits, and conducting thorough research before making a final decision. It’s no different when opting for a Value of the second opinion for cancer on treatment. 

The BMJ Quality & Safety healthcare journal published a study on diagnostic errors and estimated that approximately 10 million adults in the U.S. are misdiagnosed every year. Half of these misdiagnoses could potentially be harmful.Value of the second opinion for cancer Getting a second opinion reduces your risk of getting a wrong diagnosis and increases your chances of getting proper care.

Doctors also have varying treatment approaches, even when managing patients with a similar diagnosis. Some may take a conservative approach, while others may prefer aggressive treatment options. You have to decide which approach works best for you and your family. Value of the second opinion for cancer Seeing more than one doctor will give you more information from which to measure your options and make the best decision.

When you’re undergoing cancer treatment, it’s normal to wonder if another doctor could offer additional information or a treatment option. You might want to talk to another doctor about your test results, personal situation and to know a different take on it. Getting a second opinion can help to ensure your diagnosis and treatment plan.

What is a Second Opinion?

It is a review of the tests, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment plan recommendations given by the first oncologist. Either you or the referring physician can ask for a second opinion. You can get a second opinion by calling another leading oncologist’s office in your neighborhood to schedule an appointment. Do your research and check with insurance if your preferred doctor is in or out-of-network. Once you have that information call your preferred doctor’s office to schedule an appointment. They will ask you a couple of questions about your diagnosis, doctor preference, wait time, available appointment blocks, etc. Once your appointment is scheduled someone will follow up to sign the Release of Information form to get access to all your Electronic Medical Records. 

Why second opinion?

Reasons for getting a second opinion:

  • confirm your diagnosis, seriousness of cancer type and other potential treatment options.
  • hear from experts who have access to unique treatments, including clinical trials
  • better understand the typical advancement of this type of cancer
  • Know different views about managing the cancer
  • get the industry expert opinion on your type of cancer.
  • To confirm from other doctor on how aggressive of a treatment you want to go for especially in the beginning stages and prepare for their side effects
  • The first doctor is uncertain about the type or stage of cancer
  • If you are unable to make a decision from the treatment options given to you by your first doctor.
  • If you have difficulty communicating and resonating with your first doctor and their extended care giving team.
  • On the insistence of family members 
Importance of the second opinion

For the above-mentioned reasons, second opinions can be comprehensive or inclusive of every perspective including the time frame of treatment options especially when performed with a multidisciplinary team (including surgeons, oncologists, radiation therapists, and social workers).

Takeaway

A second opinion often brings peace and comfort in the treatment plan if not value and is thus critical for cancer patients. Cancer treatments have evolved tremendously in the recent past. Hence, cancers are now more treatable than they once were, especially with a timely designed treatment plan. You must understand the type of cancer and available treatment options. However, there are many options for treatment that are more complicated than in the past. Hence, we encourage you to seek more than one opinion about cancer treatment. Also, a second opinion helps to get additional information from someone who has probably written a leading new treatment advancement in your cancer type. Second opinions are a common practice in the area of complex medicine that has multiple treatment options available.

Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC)

know about treatment of metastatic breast cancer and hormone

For information about the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer listed below, see the Treatment Option Overview section.

Hormone therapy

In postmenopausal women who have just been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive or if the hormone receptor status is not known, may include:

  • Tamoxifen therapy.
  • Aromatase inhibitor therapy (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane). Sometimes cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor therapy (palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib, or alpelisib) is also given.
  • An LHRH agonist
  • Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor therapy (ribociclib)

In women whose tumors are hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor unknown, with spread to the bone or soft tissue only, and who have been treated with tamoxifen, treatment may include:

  • Aromatase inhibitor therapy.
  • Other hormone therapy such as megestrol acetate, estrogen or androgen therapy, or anti-estrogen therapy such as fulvestrant.
Targeted therapy for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

In women with metastatic breast cancer that is hormone receptor positive and has not responded to other treatments, options may include targeted therapy such as:

  • Trastuzumab, lapatinib, pertuzumab, or mTOR inhibitors.
  • Antibody-drug conjugate therapy with ado-trastuzumab emtansine.
  • Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor therapy (palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib) which may be combined with hormone therapy.

In women with mbc that is HER2/neu positive, treatment may include:

  • Targeted therapy such as trastuzumab, trastuzumab deruxtecan, pertuzumab, ado-trastuzumab emtansine, or lapatinib.
  • Targeted therapy with tucatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor used with trastuzumab and capecitabine

In women with metastatic breast cancer that is HER2 negative, with mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, and who have been treated with chemotherapy, include:

  • Chemotherapy for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
  • Targeted therapy with a PARP inhibitor (olaparib or talazoparib)

In women with metastatic breast cancer that is hormone receptor-negative, has not responded to hormone therapy, has spread to other organs or has caused symptoms, treatment may include:

  • Chemotherapy with one or more drugs
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy for Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer

In women with mbc that is hormone receptor negative and HER2 negative, treatment may include:

  • Chemotherapy and immunotherapy (atezolizumab)
Surgery
  • Total mastectomy for women with open or painful breast lesions.
  • The Surgery to remove cancer that has spread to the brain or spine.
  • To Surgery to remove cancer that has spread to the lung.
  • Surgery to repair or help support weak or broken bones.
  • Surgery to remove fluid that has collected around the lungs or heart.
Radiation therapy
  • Radiation therapy to the bones, brain, spinal cord, breast, or chest wall to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
  • Strontium-89 (a radionuclide) to relieve pain from cancer that has spread to bones throughout the body.
Other treatment options

Other treatment options for metastatic breast cancer include:

  • Drug therapy with bisphosphonates or denosumab to reduce bone disease and pain when cancer has spread to the bone. (See the PDQ summary on Cancer Pain for more information about bisphosphonates.)
  • Antibody-drug conjugate therapy with sacituzumab govitecan for certain patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
  • A clinical trial of high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant.
  • Clinical trials testing new anticancer drugs, new drug combinations, and new ways of giving treatment.

Kidney Cancer symptoms

The symptoms of kidney cancer and what can we do about it?

As we all know the kidney is used to filter waste from your blood, create urine, control blood pressure, create red blood cells. When the kidney is healthy it functions normally but when there is a tumor growing there may be issues in functioning in the kidney. Kidney cancer is also called Renal Cell Cancer (RCC). Kidney cancer is most commonly diagnosed in people over 60 years old. Blood in the urine is one of the most common symptoms. It appears in 40 to 50 percent of people with kidney cancer, according to the Kidney cancer association. Other more common causes of blood in the urine include or injury to the kidney infection, kidney stones, cysts. When the blood is detected always see a doctor.

 Back pain is also less commonly a symptom of kidney cancer. About 41 percent of people with RCC report back pain. But most people don’t experience back pain until the cancer is in the later stages. The type of pain associated with RCC can vary. Some people report pressure instead of an ache or sharp pain. See a doctor if you have any sudden pain that is persistent and lasts more than a few days. Mention any other symptoms during your visit to help your doctor determine the likely cause.

mass or lump in the abdomen, side or back can also be a sign of kidney cancer. It can feel like a hard, thickening, or bulging bump under the skin. About 45 percent of people with RCC have an abdominal mass. If a lump is discovered, your doctor will likely order diagnostic tests. Usually CT scan. These tests may help determine the cause of the lump. In most cases, a biopsy will be needed to confirm the diagnosis.

While in cancer fatigue is very common and gets worse day by day. About 21 percent of people with kidney cancer have anemia or low red blood cell count. Normally your kidneys signal your body to make red blood cells. Cancer can interfere with that signaling. Anemia can also cause worsening fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and pale-looking skin. In kidney cancer, people lose weight, because it affects the other organs, and loss of appetite happens so that’s the reason they are not able to have food.

Maintain a healthy weight and diet, and don’t smoke. Avoid frequent exposure to harmful carcinogenic substances can also decrease your chances of developing kidney cancer. If you have any symptoms of kidney cancer, your doctor will order tests to help determine the cause. Possible tests include a urinalysis, and culture and blood tests to check for anemia. Your liver and kidney function, and other metabolic functions will also be analyzed.

3 apps for cancer patients

Cancer is getting quite common within the US nowadays it is a very serious issue one should check out. See the best 3 apps that help cancer patients with their journey. For the assistance of those patients, there are 3 apps that will help them. They are
1)Ankr.us
2)oncozine.com
3)cancer.net

Ankr.us

What is Ankr?

Ankr is that the one-stop solution for cancer patients where ankr.us helps cancer patients to urge all the assistance they have from app and website
By registering to the website or app they will start about the knowledge they need been detected by which cancer
Patients will get all the detailed information of specific cancer
1)There side effects
2)Long and short term effects
3)Food to consume and which to not consume.

Is the product available on web, mobile?

Ankr.us is out there on the website also as in-app so it’s very easy to use and a really mobile-friendly app easy to know the languages. It’s extremely easy to check in and secure. The patient information is safe with us.

What cancers it is available for?

  • breast cancer
  • colorectal cancer
  • kidney cancer
  • lung cancer
  • lymphoma -non- Hodgkin
  • melanoma cancer
  • oral cancer
  • oropharyngeal cancer
  • pancreatic cancer
  • prostate cancer
  • thyroid cancer
  • uterine cancer
Does it have high-quality content?

Ankr has content written by pharmacists and Doctors and updated very frequently. Whereas Oncozine doesn’t mention who writes the content and only gives news and doesn’t help patients to understand about their cancer. what is going to be the treatments and symptoms issue but the ankr.us help in everything that patients need.

Can it help with managing side effects?

Ankr does a superb job at teaching about side effects, and therefore the patient is in a position to record and track symptoms and side effects easily. The patient gets to understand before only what is going to be the side effects and the way to avoid it also as when the symptoms arrive what to do?

Have others had a good experience with the product?

Look at App store, Play store reviews for this

What about subscribtion is it free, paid ?

They have free as well as paid services. What is the difference between paid and free? In free we have

  • Cancer Details Tracker
  • Treatment Navigator
  • Learning Center
  • Symptoms
  • Medication Tracker
  • Doctor’s Office Mode
  • 10 Audio Notes
  • Unlimited Text Notes
  • Standard Notifications
  • Standard Support

In paying the cost is 12.99/ per month

  • Everything in Ankr Essentials PLUS
  • Unlimited Audio Notes
  • Unlimited Medication Photos
  • Download and Share Profile
  • Customized Notifications
  • Priority Support
  • VIP Features Pass
  • Discounted Access to Patient Summits
Is the product worth my money?

Yes, surely this product is worth the money. Its help cancer patients in each and every form which is much needed

I would ranke Ankr.us – 5*****/5*****

Oncozine.com

Oncozine may be a website where one can get all the knowledge about cancer, research, news to offer information to physicians and healthcare professionals. Maybe a unique, informative, and academic program about cancer and cancer treatment

Is the product available on web, mobile?

It is available only on the website not in mobile application

Is it easy to use?

Yes, by opening the oncozine website one can read get the knowledge but to log in or subscription which will be done only by professionals and therefore the business

Does it have high-quality content?

They have the latest news and research that is going on for the information that one can read.

Can it help with managing side effects?

NO, it can’t help with managing the side effects as the ankr.us help the patient.

I would ranke Oncozine – 3*****/5*****

Cancer.net

Cancer.net may be a website or app where cancer patients can get help from the doctor while within the drawing board of cancer it’s or whenever it’s required.

What is cancer.net?

On the cancer.net website, patients can get information about cancer also their loved ones.
The patient got to visit the doctor and wish to try to to the checkup
After that also they need doubt they will visit the app or website and their doubts are going to be solved.

Is the product available on web, mobile?

It is available on the website and in mobile application

Is it easy to use?

Yes, it is easy to log in and sign up

What cancers is it available for?

There are 12 types of cancer

  • breast cancer
  • colorectal cancer
  • kidney cancer
  • lung cancer
  • lymphoma -non- Hodgkin
  • melanoma cancer
  • oral cancer
  • oropharyngeal cancer
  • pancreatic cancer
  • prostate cancer
  • thyroid cancer
  • uterine cancer
Does it have high-quality content?

Yes, they have the best doctors which see the content and approve them as date

Can it help with managing side effects?

Yes, surely it can help to manage the side effect as the doctor will suggest them accordingly

Is the product worth my money?

Yes, it will be worth the money but not more than ankr.us

I would ranke cancer.net – 3.5*****/5*****