Let's Talk Radiation Therapy

How do I find the treatment that is right for me?

I can certainly understand why you would scour the Internet in the hopes of finding information that will reveal the perfect treatment for your cancer. But although research is great for gathering basic information about your cancer and the treatment options available, I would caution you not to concretely decide on a specific type of treatment because of what you read online. Too many times, I’ve seen patients push to receive a specific type of treatment that was not clinically appro priate for them. They were reluctant to be convinced otherwise because that was the conclusion they’d arrived at from their own research. They were not in a headspace to listen and learn why that option might not be the most appropriate choice for them, and the disconnect between their research and the team’s explanation left them feeling disappointed, defeated, and confused before everything had even gotten started. So, how can you participate in finding the best treatment for yourself?

It is inevitable that you’ll search the Internet for information about your type of cancer—and rightfully so. While having accurate baseline information about your cancer and the treatments available is important, your best bet is to have a general idea of options available for treatment but be ready to get the most accurate answers from your oncology physicians. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll have a better understanding of the best treatment options for you than your treatment team will. It’s best to view these professionals as your personal set of encyclopedias for the latest and greatest treatments available.

I want to help you manage your expectations before you go to the clinic, because handling the disappointment of not having it go exactly as you believed it would can be emotionally challenging at an already sensitive time. Please find peace in knowing that the research is being done for you, and that it is not your responsibility to navigate these intricacies and choose the perfect treatment. Try not to get tunnel vision in finding the perfect treatment. Rather, focus your research on two things: the basic options available for your type of cancer and selecting an oncology team you trust.