If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s a safe bet the initial shock will be followed by a plethora of thoughts racing in your head.
Skipping treatment, however, should NOT be one of them.
You often hear some variation of the phrase “miracles do happen.” Alas, it was even uttered as some sort of disclaimer in the Mammography Saves Lives videos embedded in the earlier mammograms posts. It might be tempting to roll the dice and see if you’re one of the lucky ones.
Please reconsider.
There’s No Shortage of “Miracle Cures”
The internet is full of misconceptions and, unfortunately, some of it gets promoted to the dubious level of urban legends and questionable – or plain bad – advice. Some of this misinformation may be picked up by media outlets and disseminated without proper vetting, giving it an aura of legitimacy it doesn’t deserve.
While antioxidants, healthy diets and general well-being can have positive effects on and improve your health, they cannot effectively treat breast cancer.
You might stumble upon anecdotes involving someone who opted to bypass medical treatment and managed to beat cancer. And perhaps, for some individuals, that might be true. However, that is the exception, not the norm. The number of women in whom breast cancer goes into remission absent any medical intervention is unquestionably negligible. The odds won’t be in your favor.
Treatment Options and Second Opinions
Treatment of breast cancer, depending on its stage, might involve surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. One size doesn’t fit all.
If you have doubts about your diagnosis and/or the therapeutic strategy, it’s your right to seek a second opinion. In fact we encourage you to always seek a second opinion.
A lot of patients feel bad about obtaining a second opinion because of concerns about how their doctor may feel, or the act perceived. Please don’t worry about that. As patients we have to advocate for ourselves. Never hesitate to seek that second opinion when in doubt, or when necessary.
One last thing: You have undoubtedly seen commercials for “cancer treatment centers” promising all kinds of novel or alternative treatments – often in a resort-like setting. Understand, they’re selling you an experience, not the actual treatment that might save your life.
Trust the medical profession.
Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash (for Moneypenny)