Going into a battle against cancer can be the fight of
your life. Armed with a supportive team of people around you, doctors who are
experts in their field, and the most positive outlook you can manage, you begin
the journey that will hopefully bring you back to a cancer-free life of good
health.
Just as with anything else, a successful outcome for
cancer treatment relies on a firm plan that has everyone on the same page and a
very specific direction in which to proceed. If you’ve just been diagnosed with
cancer and you’ve found the appropriate cancer treatment team to help you in this battle, it’s important to establish that you
have such a plan in place. Work with your doctors and treatment team to
determine that everything is in place to put you on the road to good health.
·
What is your official
diagnosis? Every cancer is different and there are important
nuances of each. It’s important to establish a relationship with a doctor and
treatment team that understands and has extensive experience treating your very
specific type of cancer.
·
What is your prognosis? This can be a scary question to ask but it’s important to know this
information so you can proceed accordingly. Your doctors will tell you what
stage your cancer is in and how treatment can determine your prognosis.
·
What treatments are available
to you? Every cancer responds differently to treatment and
different treatment options are continually becoming available. Work with your
medical team to establish what treatments are available to you and how they can
affect your ability to get well.
·
With a plan in place you can begin the journey
to becoming cancer-free. So work with your doctors until you feel comfortable
with the options available to you.