What questions would you ask at the first onco visit?
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What questions would you ask at the first onco visit?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › What questions would you ask at the first onco visit?

  • Post
    • February 22, 2019 at 1:37 am
    Lucygoose
    Participant

    Hi

    i am not yet staged, but am at least stage III as melanoma was found in an elarged lymph node without a primary tumor.  I go for my scans early next week and my first onocologist visit a day later  

    I have read the patient support documents on this site and a few others and they have great questions to ask the doctor.  However I am interested in what the community has to say. 

    What do you suggest a new patient ask the doctor at the first visit?

     

    thank you for your support. 

    Lucy

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  • Replies
      • February 22, 2019 at 1:53 am
      ed williams
      Participant

      I would watch the series from Onclive last June about stage 3 adjuvant treatment options in 2018. A lot of new approval came in and how stage 3 patients are treated is completely different including doing complete node removal vs watch and scan based on MSLt-2 data. Here is a link to the series, I would join Onclive, no big deal, they don't try to sell shit. Good luck with Oncologist!!!Ed https://www.onclive.com/peer-exchange/advanced-melanoma-paradigms/molecular-testing-in-melanoma-braf-and-pdl1

      • February 22, 2019 at 2:13 pm
      Linny
      Participant

      Ed gave you some good advice. And to that, I'd like to add: pick his/her brain about unknown primaries.

      Make sure you are being seen at a medical facility with a department dedicated to melanoma. Not just cancer, but specifically melanoma. Because treatment options for melanoma are evolving rapidly, medical facilities with dedicated melanoma department will be the most up to speed on them. You want to be seen at a place like Johns Hopkins, Abramson Cancer Center, MD Anderson, Moffit, Dana Farber, Sloan Kettering, etc., if you aren't already. One clue that the oncologist might be "old school" would be if he/she offers you Interferon as a treatment option. There are much better and more effective treatment options available now.

      Second opinions don't hurt. You will be seeing your oncologist a lot during the first two years of this journey. Make sure he/she is someone you like and feel comfortable with. 

      That said, I wish you good luck next week at your doctor visits.

       

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