You've just been diagnosed with cancer and your mind is reeling, it will be very hard for you to make a decision, while your doctor wants you to sort through cancer treatment options and help decide on a plan. But how do you decide on a cancer treatment plan? Here are several steps to help you to decide.
Steps on helping you to decide
Step 1: Set your ground rules
●Decide how much you want to know.
●Decide how you want to make your treatment decisions.
●Have realistic expectations.
●Keep the focus on you, be relaxed.
● Accept help from families, friends and doctors.
Step 2: Decide on a goal
● Treat: When you're first diagnosed, it's likely you'll be interested in treatments that treat cancer.
● Control: If your cancer is at a later stage or if previous treatments have been unsuccessful, you might adjust your goal to controlling your cancer.
● Comfort: If you have an advanced stage cancer or one that hasn't responded to treatments, you might decide that comfort is most important to you.
Step 3: Research your treatment options
To make a reasonable treatment decision, keep in mind the type of cancer you have, its stage, and what treatment options are available and how likely these treatments are to work under these circumstances. Cancer treatments are sometimes used in conjunction with each other.
Step 4: Analyze the benefits versus the risks
Compare the benefits and risks of the different cancer treatments to decide which treatments fall within your goals.
● Side effects
● How treatment affects your daily life
● The financial costs of treatment
● Your health in general
Step 5: Communicate with your doctor
● Speak up when you don't understand.
● Write your questions in advance.
● Record your conversations.
●Bring someone with you.
● Keep copies of your medical records.
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