There are many top breast cancer surgeons in the U.S and it is important for you to choose the right one for your situation and stage of cancer along with the appropriate one for your treatment. Your own doctor will guide you at first and they can refer you to specialists in your area. You can look online or consult websites such the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Websites of medical schools or universities may also offer you some guidance.
Hospitals will have free confidential telephone or online services and can also aid you in finding professionals. They will tell you about a doctor’s background, so you can choose someone who has specialized in your type of cancer. Your insurance company can also give you guidance about specialists in your vicinity.
Once you have a few names then you should research their credentials, this should include how many procedures they have carried out. Have they specialized in your type of cancer and grade, which hospital are they affiliated with and how is that hospital performing? Is the doctor a specialist in your area, what oncology training do they have?
When you have made your informed decision based upon this information you need to meet the team that will be helping you. Cancer is dealt with by a team of doctors who are all trained in various areas. An oncologist will be the surgeon who oversees your cancer treatment and who also manages the chemotherapy. The radiation side of things is dealt with by a specialist who is known as a radiation oncologist and he will develop a plan for your treatment if required.
The team will also be in contact with pathologists, plastic surgeons, oncology nurses, social workers, dieticians and pharmacists or any other practitioner that you may require. All of your needs will be dealt with as a package to cause you as little stress as possible.
If you have any questions, no matter if you think they are silly, do not be afraid to ask your breast cancer specialist about them. Nothing is too much trouble as they want you to feel as happy and relaxed as possible so that you can recover quickly.
It is quite possible that you may need some emotional support throughout your breast cancer treatment. It is important to look after your emotional health so that you can make a full physical recovery. You can therefore be given a social worker to support both you and your family. You may have financial difficulties as a consequence of not being able to work and they can help with a whole host of problems that you may come up against. The hospital and medical profession also organize seminars, action and support groups to get you through the mental scars of your illness as well as the physical ones. A psychologist can help with anxiety or depression if you are suffering with this after your cancer scare. A dietician can help you become healthier after your scare and when you are on the road to recovery.
There is so much help waiting for you, do not be scared to use it.
