Content Overview 
- Learn About The Tests Your Doctor May Suggest.
- Summary
- Breast Cancer Is Not What It Used To Be.
- Take Time Making A Treatment Decision
- Commit Yourself To Doing Everything You Can To Beat Your Disease.
- Think About Your Goals
- A General Overview Of What Happens After A Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Learn About Your Specific Diagnosis.
- Choose The Best Available Cancer Doctor (An Oncologist).
- Decide Who You Want To Make Medical Decisions.
- Consider Available Treatments.
- Ask All Your Questions Before Agreeing To A Treatment Plan.
- Lumpectomy, a Partial Mastectomy or a Mastectomy.
- If A Mastectomy Is Recommended.
- When A Drug Is Recommended.
- If Radiation Is Recommended.
- If Chemotherapy Is Recommended.
- Get A Second Opinion
- Non-traditional Treatments Should Be Complementary - Not Instead Of
- Learn How To Maximize Your Limited Time With A Doctor.
- Drugs And Treatments Do Not Work In A Vacuum.
- Tools That Will Make The Process Easier
- Take Someone With You To Doctors' Appointments
- IF YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS OF METASTATIC BREAST CANCER OR AN UNUSUAL OR A RARE CANCER.
Advanced Breast Cancer: Managing Your Medical Care: Diagnosis To Treatment Decision
Decide Who You Want To Make Medical Decisions.
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Who makes medical decisions is up to you. It is your body and your life.
As you decide who makes medical decisions for you care, consider the following:
- There is no right or wrong when it comes to who makes medical decisions.
- Medicine is a combination of science and art.. Medical decisions may not be as clear cut as you would like. There may be different medical treatments available. There may be a need to change a medical decision as facts change. There may be gray areas.
- There are four alternatives when it comes to who makes medical decisions. The alternatives are:
- A doctor or other medical professional
- You
- A person you choose to make the decision for you (such as a spouse, parent or child)
- A combination of all of the above
- People who are the most active participants in their health care tend to do better. The ultimate active patient is the decision maker.
- If you are the decision maker, it does not mean that you have to make a decision alone. In addition to your cancer doctor's opinion:
- As noted elsewhere in this document, consider getting a second opinion.
- Speak with family members and friends whose opinion you value.
- Speak with your primary care doctor.
- By and large, cancer doctors today understand that::
- Their role is to present information and advice for patients - not to make all the decisions for them.
- It is the patient's role to make the decision, after consultation with their doctor.
NOTE:
- If you want someone else to make medical decisions for you, expect that the doctor will require you to sign a document allowing him or her to disclose your medical information to that person. This is because of the confidentiality requirements in the federal law known as HIPAA.
- You can continue to have control over medical decisions even if you become unable to communicate through legal documents known together as "Advance Healthcare Directives" or simply "Advance Directives." A Living Will is the advance directive we hear about most often. This subject is discussed in the category: Planning Ahead.
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