For starters, you can ask them some questions.  Has your doctor treated anyone with high grade neuroendocrine carcinoma before? Is he or she open to consulting with other experts who have treated this type of cancer?  Will they be supportive if you wish to get a second opinion? Are they willing to fight on your behalf for follow up scans if your insurance company balks? Do they treat you as though your illness requires a sense of urgency on their part?

It seems obvious, but YOU (or your loved ones) are the best advocate for your health, and SCCC and LCCC require quick and decisive action.  You may have the most caring and compassionate doctor in the world, but you must be sure you can literally trust him or her with your life.  If they haven’t treated SCCC or LCCC in the past (and many haven’t), make sure they are committed to researching the best treatment options for you.  You can find a list of doctors who are recommended by LCCC and SCCC patients they have treated on the Doctors page of this site.

 

Posted in: sccc