Do not be afraid to ask your doctor for a recommendation to get a second opinion, particularly when you have a good relationship with them. Sometimes an internist or family doctor knows a practitioner who sees patients with Mesothelioma when there is Mesothelioma Care Center near by.
When your doctor cannot assist you in finding a second opinion, you can find one when you ask Dr. Gill the oncologist here at the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America. Dr. Gill will help you find the closest doctors who are experts in this field. Another option is to check local medical schools to discover if they treat Mesothelioma. You can use our web page to find additional references and links to government cancer websites.
Finally, you are welcome to post comments, ask questions and share your insights here which allows other individuals to respond and share information.
The doctor who began your evaluation for cancer will generally be the one responsible to provide the diagnosis. This could be your primary care provider. Those persons who were referred to an oncologist will probably receive their diagnosis from that specialist. The doctor that delivers the diagnosis message should inform you about the certainty of the pathologist regarding your biopsy. Ask for all the information that is available. The best doctors will share any doubts.
Just be frank with your doctor and ask her. Many doctors may never see Mesothelioma because only 3000 – 4000 new cases of the disease occur each year. Of course the doctors that service an area in which the industry exposes the public to asbestos will see more mesothelioma cases and therefore have greater familiarity with the cancer. Sometimes the larger medical care centers will also have doctors who have seen more cases of mesothelioma.
You simply have to ask. Reputable doctors will not take offense and instead empathize with your concern. Find a new doctor if she does become defensive.
Ask our Dr. Gill at the research foundation. He will gladly give impartial, professional advice and make a referral.
Working on a cure for Mesothelioma
