4 Steps to Take If Skin Cancer Runs in Your Family
Having a relative diagnosed with skin cancer like melanoma can naturally be concerning. Read on to learn more about how that affects your risk and the steps you can take to protect yourself.
What to Look for in a Cancer Surgeon
There's no doubt finding a lump and suspecting cancer can be scary. Fortunately, you don't have to go through the diagnosis and possible treatment alone. Your cancer surgeon can play a crucial role in helping you navigate everything from a biopsy to a surgical procedure.
Whether your health problem involves cancer of the breast or skin, soft tissue sarcoma, or another issue that needs the latest state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgery, cancer surgeon Dr. Trevan Fischer can help at his private practice in Santa Monica, California.
In addition to seeing his own patients at his office, he keeps up-to-date on the most recent developments for cancer care by working on innovative clinical trials at the John Wayne Cancer Institute and serving as an assistant program director of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship.
As a qualified surgeon, he offers these tips for what to look for in a cancer surgeon.
What a cancer surgeon does
Cancer doctors are known as oncologists and can be classified into three main specialties. Medical oncologists use chemotherapy and medications like immunotherapy or targeted therapy to fight the disease. Radiation oncologists use radiation therapy and surgical oncologists employ surgery for various purposes.
Surgical oncologists can do biopsies to help diagnose cancer and determine what stage it’s in. They can also remove part of or the entire cancer tumor or mass and recommend necessary treatments.
What to look for in a cancer surgeon
Getting the proper cancer care can be crucial to your recovery, and selecting the right cancer surgeon is a key component. Here are some important topics to discuss when trying to find the best surgeon for you.
Credentials
Research a potential physician's background, including schools attended, license status, and board certifications. Also try to determine if there are any actions against the doctor. Other things to explore include what hospitals they are affiliated with and if they are involved in medical research.
Experience
Experience is important when seeking a cancer surgeon. Questions to ask include how many patients they have treated with your specific kind of cancer and how many surgeries they do each year. You should also inquire about their complication rates and 30-day operative mortality rate (i.e., how many, if any, deaths occurred within a month of surgery both at the hospital and outside of it).
Personality and situation
Some doctors are more business-like, while others are more casual and friendly. Consider what kind of personality would work best with yours and try to take that into account. Also inquire about how the physician works in terms of collaboration with colleagues and if there is a team working together to decide the best treatment options.
Whether you have a cancer scare or an official diagnosis, it can be overwhelming and frightening. We’re here to help. Call our office today at 310-504-2548 or book an appointment online and let us help you navigate your path to wellness.
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