Many cancer patients are getting inadequate care because the quality of cancer treatment and access to it are inconsistent, The New York Times reports. (July 30, 2007)

TPR Tip: There are three ways for you to quickly check information about the treatment plan and care you or someone close to you is getting.

Each resource offers you a different kind of information.

The fourth way, and the most important, is to get other medical opinions (often called second opinions). Many cancers can be treated several different ways—-medically, surgically or a combination of the two.

The more treatment options there are, the more opinions you should seek. Each treatment has pluses and minuses. You need to understand those to make the best choice for yourself or to help someone make a treatment decision. The simplest way to do this is to go to a comprehensive cancer center (a formal designation made by the National Cancer Institute).

If you don’t know where your nearest comprehensive cancer center is, you can ask the 1-800-4-CANCER staff to tell you.

INFORMATION CHECK

1. Call 1-800-4-CANCER (also online). Call or e-mail them when you have the cell type and stage of the cancer. The staff will send you the recommended protocols for chemotherapy treatment. This is from the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute. (Free.) Listing below.

2. National Comprehensive Cancer Care Guidelines (Free) Link below.

These are treatment guidelines for different types of cancers, developed with the participation of the American College of Surgeons.

3. The American Cancer Society Quality Measures for Cancer Care (Free) Link Below

SECOND OPINION

4. See cancer specialists who treat your type of cancer. You can ask for the names of the comprehensive cancer center nearest you at 1-800-4-CANCER. You can go online to the academic medical center nearest you to see what doctors treat your kind of cancer and how long it takes to get an appointment for a second opinion. Depending on the type of cancer, some centers have a second opinion service. Other cancers are so common, the professors can only see patients for second opinions who plan to come there for care.

The Times’ story offers these examples of inconsistent and inadequate care.

“An estimated 15% to 25% of women with breast cancer don’t get radiation when they should and 20% to 30% don’t take antiestrogen drugs. Some women lack prescription drug coverage, fear side effects, or are never told what they need. Only half the patients who should undergo screening for colon cancer actually do so.

“Patients in rural areas, small cities, and the poor are often seen by physicians who don’t treat enough patients to keep their skills sharp and current. But many patients never seek a second opinion or have the wherewithal to find the kind of specialized care they need.”

Links:

• New York Times story (Free)
• 1-800-4-CANCER (Free)
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network treatment guidelines (Free)
• ACS quality measures for cancer care (Free)