Breast Cancer Care
- Take Some Time Most women don’t need to rush into treatment. By taking some time to learn about breast cancer, you can make better choices. Ask your doctor if your decisions can wait a few weeks.
- Learn About Your Cancer Your treatment depends on your diagnosis. Ask your doctor or nurse: What is my diagnosis? Are there any other names for it? What are my treatment options? Try to get a second opinion on both your diagnosis and treatment options.
- Ask Questions Ask lots of questions. Bring a friend or family member to your appointments if you can. Before choosing a treatment, ask your doctor or nurse: What is this treatment supposed to do? What is my risk of getting breast cancer again if I do have this treatment? What if I don’t? How likely am I to be alive in 5 or 10 years if I do have this treatment? What if I don’t? What are the risks of bad side effects? Will any side effect last for the rest of my life? Find out how many new breast cancer patients your doctor treats each year. Studies show that the best patient outcomes result from doctors who treat at least 30-50 new patients per year.
- Investigate Medical Evidence There is not a “one size fits all” for breast cancer. Ask your doctor or nurse for evidence-based guidelines explaining which treatments are most likely to work. Get information that you can trust; see “Making Wise Breast Cancer Choices” on this page.
- Get Support You may be able to get help dealing with your emotions, transportation, finances, and solving problems with family, treatments, and insurance. Contact Bosom Buddies 24/7 Hotline @ 602-231-6648 or attend one of our five monthly support group meeting held throughout the valley each month (see our Support Page for time, location, and contact info. We are here to help you find the resources you need so that you do not face breast cancer alone.
Making Wise Breast Cancer Choices, Karen Lewkowitz, BSN, R.N.
Adapted from “The Guide to Quality Breast Cancer Care,” National Breast Cancer Coalition www.stopbreastcancer.org.
