One important thing to keep in mind at this point: when you meet with your surgeon after the biopsy, don’t go alone. You need to bring three things:
• A trusted relative or friend—an extra set of ears can help you figure out your options and will help catch any details you miss.
• A tape recorder so you can replay the session later.
• A list of questions to ask your doctor.
Get a second opinion, or even a third or fourth, before you make any final decisions about your treatment. As a reporter, I felt I needed a lot of information to feel comfortable: I went on to get six opinions at major cancer centers in three states before making a final treatment decision. You may feel a little odd telling your doctor that you are seeking a third, fourth or fifth opinion, but don’t let that get in the way of getting to a level of understanding with which you are totally comfortable.
You should be in possession of all your medical records—mammograms, test results and pathology slides—so you can show them to whomever you need to consult. They belong to you, not your doctor.
Our Find a Doctor tool can help you locate the best specialists in your area.
Finally, remember that breast cancer is not a death sentence. Many thousands of women beat the disease every year.
3. Deciding on a breast cancer treatment plan.
Get ready to digest a ton of new information. The good news is that there have been many advances in breast cancer treatment in the last 10 years, giving you a wide range of options and a tremendous amount of hope. The challenge is determining the right treatment for your body, and that can be a time-consuming, daunting task. Luckily for me, my husband spent hours online doing research and was soon grilling my doctors on the finer points of obscure breast cancer studies around the world.
Be sure to read our treatment guides to learn more about the wide range of treatment options available to you. Treatment options range from local—which includes surgery and radiation--and systemic--which reaches cancer cells throughout the body and includes chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
