Calling for Oncologists

Craig Hildreth, M.D. blogging as The Cheerful Oncologist points to

"A study from Duke University  reveals that oncologists who hear an expression of emotional concern from their patients respond with an empathic statement only 22% of the time. In other words, patients who share feelings of distress such as anger, discouragement or fear with their doctors are likely to receive no recognition of their suffering nor any emotional support in return. As a medical oncologist I find this embarrassing."

I laughed when I read that but as a patient I don't find it surprising, And I'm going to try to avoid having it happen to me. And as depressing as it is to search for an oncologist, and as much as I would have predicted I'd just say no and hope for as little pain as possible, I'm not going gracefully into a dark future without treatment or with less than adequate treatment.

Understandably I guess, since my tumor was fairly large my first step was referral to the surgeon. That was then - this is now.

There are decisions to be made about what to do next. Test showed that the sentinel lymph nodes were clear but Axial lymph nodes were not tested. This surgeon felt that testing them was unnecessary if sentinel nodes were negative.

But what if there was something there? And what about those one or two - or more - tiny cells which may be floating around in my body? These are questions only a Medical Oncologist can give me advice on and treatment for.

So here I am a month after my mastectomy and now I need an oncologist. Not only that, I need an oncologist that I can relate to: one who will not think she or he is my appointed decision maker. I'm looking for someone with the skill and insight needed to communicate, and an understanding of how to treat a patient whose fibromyalgia already puts my ability to bounce back from things on the low end of the scale.

In Craig Hildreth's words:

"Previous research has shown that patients who receive empathic responses (called "continuer statements," as opposed to "terminator statements") experience less anxiety. In one study cancer survivors who watched videotapes of physician-patient encounters, with and without just 40 seconds of compassion expressed by the physician, rated the empathic doctors as "warmer and more caring, sensitive, and compassionate."

No kidding? Patients know when a doctor is not interested in having the conversation?

Like Dr Flax and his closed file folder at my last appointment? Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this out (but thanks to twitter I know some if needed).

So I'm getting names. I'm making a list and checking it twice. Boy is this the pits. I want to be done already, not sifting through a maze, trying not to make a mistake.

Comments

[KD Paine]

Janet Kunsman and Eric Winer at Dana Farber are my oncologists and I'd be happy to make an introduction. You want someone who does NOTHING but look at breast cancers all day long -- not someone who goes back and forth between prostate, lunch, breast etc. etc.

[Cathryn Hrudicka]

Susan, if you're still looking for an oncologist, please email, tweet DM or FB msg. me, and I can ask a few people. There's a relative of Richard's who is a doctor at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, if your health plan would work there, who could probably give me some advice regarding an oncologist, and I have friends in California who've had breast cancer, and I could ask them. I'd rather not ask them, though, until you confirm that you want me to go ahead. I can imagine what a nerve-wracking process this must be for you, and you're providing such an important service for other people by so openly discussing your cancer fight and your specific needs. So often, we aren't sure how to help our friends and family members with cancer. You have really helped us learn how. Thanks.