When Should You Get a Second Opinion for Cancer?

Diagnostic errors are uncommon in the medical field, but sometimes it's overwhelming to torment with the pain and misery of cancer. When someone is diagnosed with life-threatening cancer, many dilemmas and puzzles keep popping around us, and we want to burst them by getting answers. We are bombarded with numerous questions like What is going to happen? How serious is it? Which stage is it? Is it curable or not? Which are emotional ones, while on the other side are some alarming practical questions - Do I need a second opinion? Am I getting cutting-edge cancer treatment?

What Do we mean by a second opinion for cancer?

The second opinion is when you choose to see another specialist or expertise once you have been diagnosed with a disease and want to hunt for other treatment plans for your medical conditions. Usually, the opinion of the latter doctor would help you clarify your vision and helps you go for the optimal treatment. The second doctor would review all your medical records, history, diagnostic assessment and interpret your health and recommend the treatment plan.

Sometimes they may suggest different treatment options compared to the previous one, but sometimes the second opinion is the same as the first one. Getting a second opinion is a good idea if you have multiple comorbid conditions or when the disease is life-threatening. After all, you wouldn't risk your life. If your first doctor is a general practitioner, he may encourage you to steer to a specialist who could help you better.

When should you seek a second opinion?

Though the answer is straightforward, there are sometimes more critical when you mandatorily have to go for a second opinion. Getting a second opinion can be fruitful when:

• Your health insurance demands for it
• Your diagnosis isn't clear
• Multiple health issues
• Treatment offered is experimental, controversial or risky
• Life-threatening condition
• Multiple treatment options to choose
• Your response to treatment is not up to the mark
• For peace of mind and get a clear vision

As cancer has a profound impact on health, a missed or delayed diagnosis can worsen the situation. Sometimes cancer has progressed and worsened much more than the diagnostic test, while other times, it progressed less. So a second opinion from a cancer specialist can save you shambles.

How important is a second opinion?

A second opinion can help you navigate through the nuts and bolts of cancer diagnosis and care.

When landing at a gizmo hub, we always hunt for multiple options and seek the opinions of others before buying a gadget, so why not for general health and cancer. Second opinions are crucial for aggressive and complex cancer disease that demands multimodal therapy and numerous clinical trials.

Medicines are still paternalistic, and people overtrust their doctors for the diagnosis and treatment they require. Most of the time, recommendations and treatments are authentic, but sometimes they could be inaccurate. Treatment sometimes does not follow the hierarchy of evidence-based medicines or diagnose errors with tumours.

At Hello ESO, we see majorly second-opinion patients who are diagnosed with specific complex cancer that is comparatively less aggressive than anticipated. Our multidisciplinary team helps them with alternative therapies and modern treatments available that patients are never exposed to.

We are one of the comprehensive online care portals that collaborate with expertise and industry-focused doctors that help patients with the best treatment. It's our job to support the well being of the community and help patients through multimodal therapy and groundbreaking treatments.

Factors to look at before opting for a second opinion?

• Learn about cancer, its severity, prognosis and other options. Education is key.
• If your disease is complex or aggressive, ask doctors for alternative therapies and clinical trials.
• Go for specialists' suggestions. At Hello ESO, all cases are reviewed with multidisciplinary tumour boards and specialists to review the patient's condition.
• You have the right to get a second opinion because your health is your most valuable asset.