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Will your doctor be angry if you get a second opinion regarding cancer?

Related Topics: Cancer, Anger
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Answers From Experts & Organizations (1)

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Experts say absolutely not. In fact, if your doctor reacts negatively to you getting a second opinion, it could be a bad sign. “I tell patients that if a physician seems at all bothered by your asking for a second opinion, then you absolutely need one,” says Jan C. Buckner, MD, chair of medical oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Instead, doctors should welcome people getting a second opinion. Good doctors want you to feel confident in their care. They don’t want you to feel like you were bullied into working with them.

“When you ask for a second opinion, your doctor should say, ‘Good idea -- here’s a list of names,’” says Harold J. Burstein, MD, a staff oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

This answer should not be considered medical advice...down arrowThis answer should not be considered medical advice and should not take the place of a doctor’s visit. Please see the bottom of the page for more information or visit our Terms and Conditions.up arrow

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Read the Original Article: Cancer: When Do You Need a Second Opinion, and Why?