What does a physician tell a newly diagnosed cancer patient? That is a vital question and paramount in the mind of every physician as cancer is diagnosed or treatment or lack thereof is recommended. If the physician is overly pessimistic or in some cases brutally frank without optimism, the life of the patient is ruined and the chances of recovery is eliminated if there is any truth to the belief that the patient’s attitude has a bearing on their recovery. If the physician is overly optimistic, the patient will not be prepared for an adverse outcome and will not put forth the necessary energy to help Continue reading “A Very Narrow Line”
12 Questions For A Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patient To Ask Their Physician
The diagnosis of cancer literally knocks an individual off their feet. It is probably the first time in their lives they realized they were mortal – that they might possibly die, and from what we have been brought up to believe, in the not too distant future Continue reading “12 Questions For A Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patient To Ask Their Physician”
Beware of Terminal Prognosis
Something new is happening and it is bad! I previously believed that when a physician told a newly diagnosed cancer patient they were terminal, the physician was unaware of what was available to treat that specific disease or was trying to protect their ego by forecasting the worst in which case there was no downside. If the patient fulfilled the prophecy, the physician was right and if the patient got well, they were the hero, accomplishing the impossible. Continue reading “Beware of Terminal Prognosis”
There’s Good News Tonight
Cancer mortality drops for the first time in history! The age adjusted cancer death rate declined from 1990 to 1995 by 3.1% from 135.0 per 100,000 population to 129.8, the lowest it has been since 25 years ago. Further, the decline is accelerating and continuing at about 2% per year. Continue reading “There’s Good News Tonight”
Ten Commandments to Fight Cancer
- Recognize you have a life threatening disease.
Facing the truth is a necessary ingredient to starting on the road to successfully fighting it. The fact that it is not as bad as you imagined it would be, that you feel too good, or whatever, do not deny it. That would get in your way. Never look back. Apply all your energies to conquering it. - Make a commitment to do everything in your power to fight.
The most difficult single decision you will have to make is Continue reading “Ten Commandments to Fight Cancer”