Over the past thirty years of practicing medicine I have seen so many cancer patients at the end of their ropes. Most had tried some kind of conventional treatments and others wanted to do only holistic therapies. A portion of these patients were lucky enough to survive and stabilize, while others were not as lucky.
Cancer is a very complex set of over 100 diseases that can fool the brightest minds in medicine. By the time a patient is diagnosed, often the disease has advanced and spread without the person ( or their clinician ) even realizing it.
Studies have shown that patients who are assertive and proactive have better outcomes then those that don't. There is a new relm of the patient-clinician relationship called "Shared Decision Making ". This is where the patient often comes to the oncology appointment armed with a list of questions and concerns to be discussed. During the interview the risks and benefits of his or her therapy is discussed along with any other concerns.
Over the past decade a new kind of relationship has evolved. Patients with rare or advanced cancers are starting to look for other professionals to help research their illness. I would like to call these individuals medical liaisons or researchers. They could be your personal physician, nurses, nurse praticianers, or physician's assistants. The medical liaison can help you get past the gate keepers in doctors offices or medical centers. They could find consultants and specialists on your behalf and hook them up with your oncologist. A liaison can open valuable doors for you. They may be able to find opportunities and therapies that you or your clinician are not aware of. They also may be able to help you find integrative evidence based therapies for you to investigate. Moreover, they can use the library resources in medical schools or medical centers to assist in your research. Knowledge and information are very valuable weapons to use in your fight for survival. They are ESSENTIAL LIFELINES that many patients do not have access to.
An intelligent assertive medical liaison could help ( along with your oncologist ) tilt the balance between life and death. It would behoove patients facing rare or advanced cancer to consider finding a person such as this.
We are leaving the OLD WORLD OF CANCER ( SHOTGUN THERAPY ) and entering into " THE NEW WORLD " which is " PERSONALIZED CARE ".
