Prostate Cancer – Planning Treatment
A team of specialists often treats people with cancer. The team will keep the primary doctor informed about the patient’s progress. The team may include a medical oncologist who is a specialist in cancer treatment, a surgeon, a radiation oncologist who is a specialist in radiation therapy, and others.
Before starting treatment, you may want another doctor to review the diagnosis and treatment plan. Some insurance companies require a second opinion. Others may pay for a second opinion if you request it.
Some prostate cancer patients take part in studies of new treatments. These studies — called clinical trials — are designed to find out whether a new treatment is safe and effective.
Often, clinical trials compare a new treatment with a standard one so that doctors can learn which is more effective. Men with prostate cancer who are interested in taking part in a clinical trial should talk with their doctor.
Source: http://nihseniorhealth.gov/prostatecancer/planningtreatment/02.html
In: Prostate Cancer · Tagged with: Planning Treatment, Prostate Cancer, prostate cancer treatment