Request for recommendation on a good oncology specialist

[mendesma]

Our friend has been diagnosed with cancer (stomach, liver and lungs) and the doctor told him he had 6 to 18 months of life left. We are trying to help him on identifying who the best oncology doctors are and where he can get the best treatment. We are turning to everyone we know to recommend us the best oncology specialist for him to start treatment. Can someone recommend us the best oncology specialist in Australia, please? Thank you so much for your help.

[Sailor]

Dear Mendesma It is understandable that you want the best for your friend. However, there is no 'best' oncology specialist in Australia. There are many really good oncology specialists spread out around Australia and many of these will be right for your friend. How to access them? Well like many things in life you have to seek a balance. Balancing travel and your friends ability to travel, particularly is his disease progresses is one of those. Also, all the guidelines for cancer treatment now recommend that your friend be considered by a multidisciplinary team, not just one specialist. So you need to ask any specialist that he is part of a multidisciplinary team. You also need to let your friend make the decisions. These will depend on his values - for example quantity of life versus quality of life, heroic treatment versus treatment to ensure that he can remain active and part of his community for as long as possible. I would recommend that you give the Cancer Helpline 13 11 20 a call and talk things over with them - my experience is that they are a hug help. Regards Sailor An incorrectly identified mark is a hazard, not an aid, to navigation. Alton B. Moody