Treatment decisions
Lin (and anyone else),
After listening to discussions on this question over the past 6 years, to me it seems the general rule is that those bc patients who truly are making their decision themselves without pressure from anyone else, and who want (consciously or unconsciously) to hear that they should do aggressive treatment will seek out opinions until they get one from an onc who recommends it, and those who don't will not.
Which oncs are more "right" in your situation, and which ones are not?
My advice is to give the onc the "float" test:
Does the onc, entirely on his or her own (without being asked), include in the discussion true "informed consent"? By that I mean, does the onc tell you in a straightforward way that natural menopause and chemopause can have very, very different, permanent effects, and explain fully what they can be? Does the onc explain fully what the effects of chemo followed by additional treatments may be? Is the onc up to date on research that is attempting to address the various permanent negative effects that go along with whatever treatment he or she recommends? Or does the onc seem disinterested in or ignorant about that kind of research?
-AlaskaAngel
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