Overcoming Anxiety About Getting a Mesothelioma Second Opinion

Health & Wellness

Written by Dana Nolan | Edited by Amy Edel

Mesothelioma patient and a loved one see a specialist for a second opinion

A frequent topic in our monthly mesothelioma support group is the importance of getting a second, or third or fourth, opinion. Some mesothelioma patients express apprehension about seeking a second opinion.

I often hear mesothelioma patients express fear about potentially offending their oncologist. They say things like, “I don’t want my oncologist to think that I don’t trust them or am doubting their expertise.”

Talking to your oncologist or surgeon about getting a second opinion can feel scary to some people because they fear upsetting their physician. But these days physicians are accustomed to their patients seeking second opinions. Many oncologists even recommend seeing a mesothelioma doctor for a second opinion.

People seek second opinions to confirm the accuracy of their mesothelioma diagnosis and discuss other possible treatment options. Getting another perspective can provide valuable information and help patients feel more confident about the decisions they make about their care. But even when patients recognize those benefits, anxiety can still make it difficult to seek another opinion or decide what to do with the information they receive.

Working through those concerns with a mental health professional or talking them over in a mesothelioma support group can help. Addressing the emotional side of seeking a second opinion may make it easier for patients to move past those fears and experience the benefits of getting another perspective on their diagnosis and treatment.

Stress About Treatment Timing and Second Opinions

Anxiety about delaying mesothelioma treatment can keep some patients from getting a second opinion. One concern I often hear is, “It will take a long time to get an appointment with another oncologist. I want to get treatment started now.”

After experiencing delays in getting diagnosed, many patients are understandably eager to begin treatment as soon as possible. For many, the frustrating delays they’ve already experienced began because the initial symptoms of mesothelioma can be attributed to other common medical issues like pneumonia, making it less likely that physicians will initially be looking for a rare disease like mesothelioma.

That urgency can make it difficult to consider taking more time for another opinion, even when getting another perspective could help confirm the diagnosis or identify other possible treatment options. However, getting a second opinion doesn’t mean starting over from scratch. Many oncologists who provide second opinions use the existing pathology slides, blood work and other imaging that the patient has already completed.

If anxiety about delaying treatment is keeping a mesothelioma patient from seeking a second opinion, talking with a Patient Advocate can help. A Patient Advocate can explain more about the second-opinion process, which may help ease some of the uncertainty around how long it could take and what patients can expect.

Free Webinar

Second Opinions & Finding a Specialist

Get a free copy of our webinar featuring Karen Selby, RN, and Pam DeLongchamp, a nurse navigator, as they discuss why a second opinion matters after a mesothelioma diagnosis and how to find the right specialist.

Get Your Free Recording

Unease About Making Treatment Decisions

A common concern I hear is, “I have a hard time deciding which movie to watch or where to vacation. How am I going to make the right decision about my mesothelioma treatment if I have more than one option?” For patients who already struggle with decision-making, having multiple treatment recommendations after seeking a second or third opinion can feel overwhelming.

Seeking a second or third opinion may result in mesothelioma patients receiving multiple differing treatment recommendations. Having more than one treatment option can be reassuring, but for people who tend to delay decisions or regularly second-guess themselves, more choices can make the decision feel more difficult.

It helps some mesothelioma patients to talk to others who have gone through a particular mesothelioma surgery or type of systemic treatment. But keep in mind that everyone’s experience is different. Many mesothelioma patients say that taking a little extra time to seek a second opinion helped them feel more comfortable with their treatment choice when they had more than one option to consider.