By now you have seen a general practitioner and been diagnosed with cancer. It's time to go see an oncologist for further testing, staging, and treatment recommendations. The goal of the first biopsy of solid tumor mass is to determine if it is malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancer). If it is apparent to the surgeon, that the tissue is malignant, then they may try and remove all of the mass and some surrounding tissue in order to cut the cancer out. If the biopsy comes back positive and the surgeon feels he or she did not remove enough cancerous tissue initially, further surgery may be suggested to remove more. Then, the oncologist will generally want to do more testing to determine if the cancer has metastasized (spread) beyond the original site. If the tests come back positive for more cancer in the body, the typical course is to use radiation or chemotherapy to try to eradicate the cancer cells or shrink inoperable tumors.

If the surgeon believes that they have removed all of the cancerous tissue and further testing is negative for more cancer in the body, typically, the recommendation will be to administer chemo or radiation as a "preventive" measure. In other words, even though the patient appears to be cancer free, the protocol is to treat the patient anyway just in case there are some undetectable cancer cells still lurking in the body.

If chemo or radiation is suggested, there may be different types available and it is very important to research this, along with potential short term, long term and late on-set side effects. Based on research and anecdotal evidence, it appears that not all types of chemo or radiation are effective. When first diagnosed with cancer, it is important that the composition of the cells be analyzed to determine if they are fast or slow replicators. There are tests that will determine if a certain chemo regimen will work on a patient’s cancer cells right in a Petri dish. Most patients do not know about this and doctors follow protocol based on diagnosis. Each patient’s cancer is unique to them and should not be subject to a cookie-cutter, protocol-based treatment. I have found that oncologists are not always up-to-date on the research and do not, typically, have the time to seek information beyond what is provided to them by pharmaceutical companies. In researching treatments for various types of cancer, I have concluded that what is recommended is not always warranted

Though unintentional, oncologists may scare the patient into making a hasty decision regarding treatment. Because the cancer treatment industry has become such a giant, the one-size-fits-all approach to treatment has evolved into protocol. Research, however, will bear out that because cancer, like genetic make-up, is unique to the individual, that this protocol approach is not always successful. For example, when researching stage IV lung cancer treatment with the chemo protocol typically recommended, there is a good chance that the cancer will metastasize to the liver. I have seen this happen, first hand, in an elderly client who opted for the chemo, despite being presented with the research negating it's probable cure rate. Within one year, the cancer had metastasized to the liver and she passed away. We also found this to be evident in researching stage IV pancreatic cancer. This kind of treatment is known as "palliative," which, basically, means they are trying to reduce the severity of symptoms, not cure the cancer. Palliative measures are often taken when the patient has been deemed "terminal" because conventional medicine has no more tools in the toolbox to "fix" the patient. Often, the palliative measures result in worse health, poor quality of life, and may actually expedite death.

Although it is tempting to jump into treatment, especially since the oncologist will generally want to get started right away, remember this, it takes a while for most cancers to grow and the decision for treatment should not be hasty. This is an excellent time for a second or even third opinion. It is highly recommended to consult with a naturopathic doctor. There are also oncologists who use integrative approaches that incorporate both allopathic and naturopathic medicine to treat the patient. They are hard to find, but they are out there if you look around. Whatever your situation, when making decisions about your life, try not to check your brain at the doctor's office door. It is also a good idea to bring a friend or relative to appointments to help you stay focused by taking notes for you while you listen.

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